Premier League drops VAR official following missed Arsenal penalty call

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Sep 10, 2026, 6:05 PM

Last updated Sep 10, 2026

Premier League drops VAR official following missed Arsenal penalty call
Summary

The Premier League has announced match official assignments for the upcoming round of fixtures, which includes Arsenal’s trip to face Sunderland on Saturday. John Brooks will referee the match at the Stadium of Light, with Stuart Attwell managing VAR responsibilities. The selection follows an admission from the Premier League’s KMI panel regarding a missed penalty during Arsenal’s recent match against Aston Villa. The panel unanimously agreed that referee Jarred Gillett should have awarded a penalty and that Ian Maatsen should have been dismissed for a second yellow card. James Bell, who served as the VAR for that fixture, was excluded from this week's assignments due to his failure to recommend a review of the incidents. Separately, Riccardo Calafiori has been named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for August, and the club awaits the status of Reiss Nelson regarding a work permit for his move to Feyenoord.

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By the Numbers
  • John Brooks will referee the Arsenal versus Sunderland match on September 12.
  • Stuart Attwell will lead the VAR team for the upcoming Arsenal fixture.
  • The KMI panel confirmed Jarred Gillett and James Bell missed critical calls against Aston Villa.
  • Riccardo Calafiori received the Arsenal Player of the Month award for August.
  • Reiss Nelson is currently awaiting a work permit to join Feyenoord.
Latest Updates
  • 6:05 PMYahoo SportsArsenal learn Sunderland ref & VAR official dropped after Villa error
What they're saying
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The Premier League have confirmed their selection of match officials for the upcoming round of fixtures, including Arsenal’s trip away to face Sunderland.Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty ImagesThe Pre...

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