Mark Clattenburg reveals whether VAR was right to overturn Arsenal’s penalty vs Fulham…

Mark Clattenburg discusses whether VAR was correct in reversing Arsenal’s penalty against Fulham.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has provided an exclusive insight to Arsenal Insider regarding the legitimacy of the penalty awarded to the Gunners against Fulham.

Mikel Arteta’s team climbed back to the top of the Premier League standings following a hard-fought victory over the Whites at Craven Cottage.

Leandro Trossard netted the only goal of the match, but there was a chance for another when Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty to Arsenal in the second half.

However, VAR stepped in and reversed that call.

Exclusive: Mark Clattenburg shares his opinion on the penalty decision for Arsenal against Fulham.

Arsenal supporters were convinced they had earned a penalty against Fulham.

Bukayo Saka appeared to be fouled by Kevin in the box, prompting Taylor to immediately point to the penalty spot.

As is standard procedure, a VAR review took place, and the referee was directed to the monitor for a second assessment.

Taylor reviewed footage showing Kevin making slight contact with the ball after tackling Saka, which led him to alter his initial ruling.

Arsenal sought a penalty, but following the VAR assessment, Anthony Taylor concluded that Kevin played the ball, resulting in no foul being called ❌

Arsenal Insider inquired about Mark Clattenburg’s perspective on the ruling.

He stated: “Arsenal received a penalty for a challenge by Kevin on Bukayo Saka within the penalty area. The referee, Anthony Taylor, was in a good position to observe the challenge and opted to award a penalty kick.

“Taylor did not notice the ball’s change in direction and observed that Kevin, during the challenge, made contact with the ball using his foot. While Kevin may have also grazed Saka’s knee, I believe this contact is a normal part of playing the ball.

“This is an excellent application of VAR, advising the referee to revise his initial decision.”

What Mikel Arteta did following the overturning of Arsenal’s penalty.

Had the penalty not been revoked and Arsenal successfully converted the spot kick, the match would have concluded.

This would have provided significant relief against a challenging opponent, but Fulham supporters found new energy upon hearing Taylor reverse his call.

Arteta recognized this shift and promptly motivated his players. The Arsenal manager shouted from the sidelines, encouraging his team to refocus on the match.

“Arteta immediately instructed his players to stay alert and move on from it,” Jim Proudfoot remarked during the commentary on Premier League Productions.

Arsenal responded accordingly, maintained their lead with relative ease, and continued their impressive streak.