The Premier League’s independent panel has officially deemed Chelsea’s recent handball penalty against Crystal Palace a mistake, citing a prior deflection and natural body positioning.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has ruled that Chelsea should not have been awarded a penalty for handball during their 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Reviewing the controversial decision, the panel concluded that the VAR intervention was flawed. They noted that the defender “is not making his body unnaturally bigger” and highlighted a “small deflection off the hip” before contact.
The ruling clarifies that the initial on-field decision should have stood, as the ball’s trajectory was altered by the hip deflection.
This finding adds to the ongoing scrutiny regarding VAR consistency in the top flight.
Despite the panel’s retrospective verdict, the result of the match remains unaffected, leaving Palace frustrated over a pivotal moment that heavily influenced the final scoreline at Selhurst Park.