The Premier League has explained why a controversial penalty was awarded to Arsenal in their clash with AFC Bournemouth.
Referee Michael Oliver signalled the penalty after a handball by Ryan Christie, while VAR confirmed the decision after a quick review.
The match started with pressure for the home team at the Emirates Stadium, as Bournemouth took the lead in the 17th minute with a goal from Junior Kroupi.
#ARSBOU – 34'
— Premier League Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) April 11, 2026
The referee's call of penalty for handball was checked and confirmed by VAR - with it deemed that Christie's arm was raised away from his body.
The key moment came midway through the first half when Oliver awarded Arsenal a penalty after Christie was deemed to have handled the ball inside the area. The decision sparked immediate protests from Bournemouth players and staff, but after a review, VAR upheld the referee.
According to the Premier League's official explanation, the position of Christie's arm was decisive: it was considered unnatural and away from the body, which met the criteria for a handball. The league stressed that the referee's decision was checked and upheld by VAR for this very reason.
Viktor Gyökeres calmly converted the penalty to level the score at 1-1. However, Arsenal missed several chances in the second half and were punished in the 74th minute when Alex Scott scored after an assist from Evanilson to restore the visitors' lead. The Gunners failed to equalise and suffered a 2-1 home defeat.
This victory lifts Bournemouth into the top half of the table and boosts their hopes of a place in European competitions, while also setting a club record of 12 consecutive matches without defeat in the Premier League.
On the other hand, Mikel Arteta and his team see the title race in jeopardy: Arsenal remains at the top with 70 points from 32 matches, but the gap with Manchester City has narrowed to just nine points, while their rivals have two games in hand and will face the Londoners next weekend. /GazetaExpress/
t7 live
