PL panel give verdict on Everton's overturned penalty against Man United

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel have weighed in on Everton's overturned penalty against Manchester United in their clash last month.

In the final moments of the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park, Toffees fans were sent into a frenzy when referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot in the 93rd minute.

The decision came after former United player Ashley Young was sent crashing to the floor as he was challenged by Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt inside the box.

However, Everton's hopes of snatching a late victory were dashed when Madley reversed his decision after being advised to go the monitor by VAR official Matthew Donohue and the game ended 2-2.

Toffees boss David Moyes was left incensed by the decision however the KMI Panel have decided that VAR's intervention was the correct call.

One of the controversial aspects of the incident was the fact that Madley gave the penalty for a foul by Maguire on Young.

However, upon review, it was clear that was actually De Ligt who obstructed Young's movement and, in turn, sent him tumbling to the ground.

Therefore, according to ESPN, the panel unanimously voted 5-0 that Madley was incorrect to give the spot-kick, and 4-1 that the VAR was right to step in.

A further note explained that 'the contact from the defenders doesn't match the exaggerated fall from the attacker'.

A vote was not held regarding De Ligt's involvement in the incident.

However, one panelist noted that 'the referee should not have been sent to the monitor as it wasn't a clear and obvious error due to the foot-on-foot contact by Maguire and shirt pull on Young by De Ligt which wasn't shown to the referee'.

Madley was only shown reviews from angles that centred over the England defender. For this reason, he was not shown the goal-mouth camera angle.

The panel has five members, made up of three former players and/or coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and PGMOL.

It was set up at the start of the 2022-23 season to give an assessment of decision-making rather than relying on the views of PGMOL or the clubs themselves. The judgement is intended to provide an arm's-length assessment of all major match incidents.

Speaking after the match, Moyes insisted the referee was wrong to overturn the decision.

'I can't understand. He (De Ligt) pulled his jersey,' said Moyes. 'I just thought the referee made the correct decision at the time and he should stick with it.

'I think everybody who watches football we're all looking forward to seeing a referee saying "no, no I'm sticking with it"'.

'If it's absolutely clear and obvious that's what we've got VAR for, but I didn't think it needed to get involved.'