Newcastle United and Arsenal ‘goals’ named on list of VAR errors after Premier League admission

A decision to rule out an own goal scored by Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell in a draw at Newcastle United has been identified as one of six VAR errors made in the Premier League this season.

The game was goalless when the incident occurred six minutes into the second-half as Magpies defender Sven Botman rose to meet a Kieran Trippier cross. The Dutch centre-back headed back across goal and United team-mate Joe Willock looked to have been pushed into visitors goalkeeper Vicente Guaita before the ball rebounded off Mitchell and into the net. Despite footage showing a clear push on Willock, VAR official Lee Mason instructed on-field official Michael Salisbury to review his initial decision to allow the goal - and he promptly ruled it out after watching the video on a pitchside monitor.

Speaking after the game, Magpies manager Eddie Howe said: "I disagree with the decision; I thought it should be a goal. I thought Joe was pushed. He is running in and is pushed into the keeper. I am not sure what Joe is supposed to do there. For me it is a perfectly good goal. Without that push, there's no way Joe would have gone in with that force. So for me, it's not a foul, if anything, it's a penalty if it's not a goal.”

ESPN have now reported the decision is on a list of ‘six incorrect VAR interventions’ made during the first part of the season and has been communicated back to clubs after a weekly review undertaken by an independant panel made up of three former players and a representative from both the Professional Game Match Officials Limited and the Premier League.

The other decisions include a call to disallow a late equaliser from West Ham United’s Maxwel Cornet in their 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in September and the overturning of a Gabriel Martinelli’s early strike in Arsenal’s 3-1 loss at Manchester United on the same weekend. A red card shown to Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in a 3-0 loss at Aston Villa, a penalty given to Crystal Palace in their 3-1 home win against Aston Villa and a penalty awarded for a foul by Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Dean Henderson in his side’s 2-2 draw against Brentford complete the list of ‘incorrect interventions’.

Former Premier League and World Cup referee Howard Webb has now taken over as PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer and ESPN have stated he ‘will be keen to reduce the number of mistakes being made in the VAR room’ when the Premier League returns to action on Boxing Day.