As of the latest reports from March 2025, the Premier League’s Key Match Incident (KMI) panel has delivered its official verdict on the controversial decision to overturn Everton’s penalty in their clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The incident, which occurred during the first half of the match, has been one of the most debated moments of recent weeks, fueling discussions on the consistency and accuracy of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) interventions.
The incident happened when Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought down in the box by United defender Lisandro Martínez. Referee Simon Hooper initially awarded a penalty, judging that Martínez had clipped Calvert-Lewin’s trailing leg. However, after a lengthy VAR review led by Michael Salisbury, the on-field decision was overturned, with the referee eventually ruling that the contact was minimal and insufficient to warrant a penalty.
Following the outcry from fans, pundits, and Everton manager Sean Dyche, the Premier League’s independent KMI panel—comprised of former referees, players, and coaches—reviewed the incident. In their latest findings, released this week, the panel unanimously agreed that the original decision to award the penalty was correct and that the VAR intervention was unnecessary.
According to the KMI panel’s statement:
“Having carefully analyzed the footage, the panel concluded that clear contact was made on the attacker by the defender inside the penalty area. While the contact may have been slight, it had a direct impact on the player’s movement, impeding his opportunity to continue the play. The threshold for a ‘clear and obvious error’ was not met, and as such, the VAR intervention to overturn the penalty was incorrect.”
This latest assessment adds pressure on VAR officials, who have come under intense scrutiny this season for several high-profile mistakes. For Everton, it is another moment of frustration, as the club is battling near the bottom of the table and cannot afford critical decisions to go against them.
Everton manager Sean Dyche reacted to the panel’s verdict by saying,
“We all saw it in real-time. The referee got it right on the pitch. It’s frustrating that VAR got involved when it wasn’t needed. The panel backing that up only reinforces our disappointment.”
Meanwhile, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has acknowledged the panel’s findings and is reportedly reviewing internal processes with VAR staff to prevent similar mistakes from happening in the future. Sources suggest that VAR official Michael Salisbury could face a short-term demotion or be rotated out of upcoming fixtures as part of standard procedure following an incorrect intervention.
For Manchester United, who went on to win the match 2-0, the decision arguably helped preserve their advantage. However, even some United supporters and pundits admitted that Everton were unlucky not to be given the opportunity from the spot.
With pressure mounting from clubs and fans, this latest error adds further fuel to calls for greater accountability, improved training, and perhaps even a rethink of how VAR is implemented in the Premier League moving forward.
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