The Premier League explains Everton’s penalty against Arsenal

The Premier League has provided an explanation for the upholding of Myles Lewis-Skelly’s contentious penalty against Everton.

Referee Darren England took notice of Arsenal star Lewis-Skelly when he hauled down Everton’s Jack Harrison inside the area only one minute into the second half of the 1-1 draw.

Lewis-Skelly was judged to have gone overboard, and Everton was given a penalty even though replays revealed that both guys had their hands all over each other’s shirt.

VAR examined England’s call, which Arsenal fiercely contested. There were also questions regarding whether the foul happened inside or outside the box.

However, the Premier League Match Centre on X has provided an explanation for why VAR directed England to adhere to his call.

“VAR verified and checked the referee’s call of penalty for Lewis-Skelly’s challenge on Harrison, and the contact was judged to be sufficient for a penalty and inside the area,” the statement said.

Stuart Pearce, a legend of Nottingham Forest, questioned whether the level of contact involved called for a penalty.

“When they review this again, it could be interesting,” Pearce stated in his talkSPORT commentary.

To what extent is there contact? Lewis Skelly claims that he was pushed after being stuck beneath the ball and leaning back. Harrison is asserting that he was.

There wasn’t much in it, so it was undoubtedly a cheap collapse.

“But your guess is as good as mine as to whether the referee will reverse that or VAR.”

In the end, it wasn’t, as Iliman Ndiaye of Everton coolly scored the penalty kick to negate Leandro Trossard’s first-half goal.