Arsenal and Chelsea, big beneficiaries of refereeing errors in the Premier League this season
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
According to the report from the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel, Arsenal and Chelsea took advantage of several refereeing errors, particularly in terms of penalties and red cards, which influenced the course of the championship where Arsenal were crowned without receiving a red card or conceding a penalty.
The 2025-26 Premier League season has once again shown the major impact of refereeing decisions, whether video-assisted (VAR) or taken directly on the pitch. Two London clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea, emerge as the biggest beneficiaries of refereeing errors this season, according to an in-depth study carried out by the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel.
Under the leadership of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal won the English championship by becoming the first team to finish an entire season without receiving a red card or conceding a penalty. This performance, however, would have been facilitated by seven favorable refereeing errors during different matches. For their part, Chelsea benefited from eight incorrect decisions in their favor, including two incorrect VAR interventions which led to a Fulham goal being canceled and an unfairly awarded penalty against Crystal Palace.
In total, 25 errors were recorded this season by the KMI panel, compared to 18 during the previous campaign, however showing a notable improvement compared to the 31 errors committed in 2023-24 and 38 in 2022-23.
The analysis focuses on three types of errors: decisions wrongly modified after viewing VAR or erroneous judgments confirmed despite the video, and those which should have been corrected but were not. Bournemouth and Chelsea are the most advantaged clubs with four errors in their favor each. Arsenal benefited in particular from penalties not awarded against them in favor of Everton and Brighton as well as a missed red card for Kai Havertz during his dangerous tackle on Lesley Ugochukwu.
As for the injured teams, Crystal Palace and Everton were the most penalized with three errors to their detriment. Everton should have won three penalties against Arsenal, West Ham and Manchester City but also avoided a penalty against Wolverhampton.
Furthermore, the KMI panel identifies a category of errors on the field, which did not trigger a VAR intervention. Brentford was thus the most advantaged team in this register, with four favorable decisions, but also the most negatively impacted with five errors against them.
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Arsenal, Everton and Wolverhampton have also benefited significantly from these uncorrected refereeing judgments.
All refereeing, VAR and on-field errors place Chelsea and Arsenal at the top of the clubs balancing their profits and losses with a net score of +5, followed by Wolverhampton (+4). Bournemouth, with -4, is the club most penalized overall this season.
Concerning reception by supporters, two recent surveys show divided opinions: a majority of fans remain suspicious or even hostile to the use of VAR, however the idea of total abandonment remains in the minority, with the majority instead wanting an improvement in its use.
Finally, the panel welcomes certain progress such as the reduction in the number of VAR interventions and the reduction in arbitration times. The Premier League continues to have the lowest frequency of visual reviews among major European leagues.
At the heart of the debates, the exact role and effectiveness of VAR in guaranteeing fair decisions remains at the center of attention, while English football tries to reconcile technicality and spontaneity of the game.
Illustrative image: [photo of a Premier League match with the referee and VAR in action].