The Premier League has explained why Chelsea were denied a late penalty in their 1-1 draw with West Ham United, following VAR controversy at the London Stadium. Tomas Soucek appeared to handle the ball inside the box, but referee Craig Pawson and VAR decided not to award a spot-kick.
The PGMOL, the officials' group for FA competitions, stated that the ball struck Soucek's hand as it 'broke his fall' while going to ground, meaning the correct decision was to not award a penalty. This explanation has done little to appease Chelsea fans, who felt their side was robbed of three vital points.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter made a sarcastic remark after the match, saying: 'It was a good save. You need your goalkeeper sometimes to give you the points.' He added that the decision seemed like one that would not have been overturned if given, but it was not awarded.
The draw leaves Chelsea ninth in the Premier League, 10 points outside the top four, with only two wins in their last 13 games. Pressure is mounting on Potter despite significant investment in the January transfer window.
