Brighton denied penalty as Martinelli holds Wieffer (BHA 0–1 ARS, 45+3')
In first-half stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli held Mats Wieffer's arm and blocked his run to the back post without looking at the ball. Chris Kavanagh played on and VAR Michael Salisbury agreed. The KMI panel voted 4-1 that it was a penalty and 3-2 that VAR should have intervened. Arsenal won 1-0.
- On the pitch
- No penalty: play on
- VAR
- VAR did not intervene
- Benefited
- Arsenal
- Harmed
- Brighton & Hove Albion
Fan verdict
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Sources · 4
- Every VAR and referee error in the 2025-26 Premier League (BBC Sport, via ModernGhana) · BBC Sport
- Brighton wrongly denied penalty in narrow defeat to Gunners as VAR error confirmed · Goal
- Official: Kavanagh and VAR cost Brighton penalty against Arsenal · We Are Brighton
- 2025–26 Premier League table without every official VAR error · Sports Illustrated
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