EPL Releases Statement Over Controversial Penalty Awarded To Everton Against Arsenal

The Premier League have outlined why Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial penalty against Everton was upheld.

Arsenal star Lewis-Skelly drew the attention of referee Darren England when he hauled down Everton’s Jack Harrison inside the box barely a minute into the second half of the 1-1 draw.

Replays showed both men had their hands all over one another’s shirt, but Lewis-Skelly was deemed to have gone overboard with it as England awarded a penalty.

Arsenal vehemently protested England’s call, which was checked by VAR.

There were also questions whether the foul took place inside or outside the box.

But VAR told England to stick with his call and the Premier League Match Centre on X has explained why.

“The referee’s call of penalty for the challenge by Lewis-Skelly on Harrison was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be sufficient for a penalty and inside the area,” the statement read.

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However, Nottingham Forest great Stuart Pearce questioned whether the amount of contact involved warranted a penalty.

“This could be interesting actually when they review this again,” Pearce said on commentary for talkSPORT.

“How much of a contact is there? Lewis-Skelly’s got caught underneath the ball, he’s leant backwards, he’s claiming that he was pushed. Harrison’s claiming he was.

“It was certainly a cheap collapse, there wasn’t a great deal in it.

“But whether the referee’s going to turn round and overturn that or VAR or your guess is as good as mine.”

Ultimately, it wasn’t, and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye coolly slotted home the spot kick to cancel out Leandro Trossard’s opener in the first half.

talkSPORT