Another weekend of Premier League action, another batch of VAR controversies. The league's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel has confirmed three more video assistant referee errors, bringing the season's total to a staggering 23. For fans and players alike, it's becoming a recurring headache that's reshaping how we think about the beautiful game.
The panel flagged three penalty-related mistakes, two of which involved missed calls for holding offenses. Everton, in particular, have been left fuming—they're the only club yet to benefit from a single VAR intervention this season. Their latest heartbreak came during a thrilling 3-2 lead against Manchester City at Goodison Park. During a corner, City's Bernardo Silva was caught holding Everton midfielder Merlin Rohl, but referee Michael Oliver missed it. VAR official Paul Howard decided the holding occurred before the corner was taken, so he couldn't award a spot-kick.
After the match, Everton boss David Moyes didn't hold back: "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on." The KMI panel unanimously agreed, stating there was "a clear, sustained holding offense which continues as the corner is taken." The missed call proved costly—City equalized deep into stoppage time through Jeremy Doku, snatching a 3-3 draw. This marks the third time this season Everton should have been awarded a penalty via VAR, following similar incidents against Arsenal and West Ham.
But the controversy didn't stop there. In Bournemouth's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, a penalty awarded to Marcos Senesi was deemed incorrect by the panel. Senesi went down under minimal contact from goalkeeper Dean Henderson, but referee Rob Jones pointed to the spot, and VAR Peter Bankes upheld the decision. The panel ruled 5-0 that the call was wrong, noting, "Henderson drops the ball, reaches for it, and Senesi goes down under very minimal contact. The referee's call was incorrect, and VAR should have intervened."
With 23 errors and counting, the debate over VAR's role in the Premier League is heating up. For now, it's a story of missed opportunities, controversial calls, and teams left wondering what might have been. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love the game's drama, one thing's clear: the technology meant to bring clarity is still causing plenty of chaos.