Overview

• Referee Jarred Gillett’s first‑half penalty for Viktor Gyokeres was overturned on review after VAR footage showed Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope made contact with the ball.
• NBC’s commentary team reported hearing VAR advisers urging Gillett toward reversing his on‑field decision on the Gyokeres incident, raising questions about the intervention threshold.
• Late appeals for a Newcastle spot‑kick were rejected when Gillett ruled no handball against Gabriel, a call the VAR confirmed.
• The Premier League Match Centre explained the no‑penalty decision by stating the ball struck Gabriel’s shin before his arm, which falls under non‑offence scenarios in 2024 guidance.
• Arsenal won 2-1 with Gabriel scoring a 96th‑minute header, as pundits split between describing him as fortunate and endorsing the rulings as correct by the letter of the law, while Mikel Arteta reiterated that VAR should intervene only for clear and obvious errors.