In their goalless draw against Everton at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal came agonizingly close to being awarded a late penalty, only to have the decision overturned by VAR.
The result left the Gunners frustrated as they were unable to break down Everton’s resolute defense, missing a key opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, who had also drawn 1-1 at home against Fulham.
As the match neared its conclusion, Arsenal thought they had a penalty when Vitalii Mykolenko made a challenge on Thomas Partey in the box, causing the Arsenal midfielder to hit the ground.
However, after reviewing the incident through VAR, officials concluded that Mykolenko had made a slight yet crucial touch on the ball before making contact with Partey, thus ruling the tackle to be legal.
Mike Dean, a former Premier League referee, weighed in on the situation, supporting the decision made by the officials.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Dean said, “I thought the defender just got a slight touch on the ball before making contact with the player. For me, it’s not a penalty.”
His professional opinion echoed the VAR review and emphasized that the decision to deny the penalty was correct in his view.
After the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta chose not to comment directly on the penalty incident, stating, “I haven’t seen it. So I cannot comment on that.”
Arteta’s diplomatic response was in keeping with his usual approach to controversial refereeing decisions.
On the other hand, Everton manager Sean Dyche praised Mykolenko’s defensive performance, highlighting the defender’s role in keeping a clean sheet against Arsenal.
Dyche also commended his entire team’s defensive resilience, particularly noting the contribution of wing players, some of whom were playing in unfamiliar roles.
He remarked, “Vitalii Mykolenko was outstanding,” and acknowledged the team’s collective effort in securing their sixth consecutive game without conceding a goal, which he described as a remarkable achievement in the Premier League.
Dyche also singled out several other players for their contributions, including Ashley Young, Jack Harrison, and Jesper Lindstrøm, praising their teamwork and the overall defensive solidarity that helped Everton to secure a hard-fought point against one of the league’s top sides.
This result added to Everton’s growing confidence, with Dyche clearly pleased with the progress his team has made in recent weeks.
