Premier League: KMI Panel Verdict on Everton Disallowed Goal v Hull

For the second time in a few games, Everton had a goal ruled out because of Brennan Johnson.

At the MKM Stadium, the forward thought he'd scored after 34 minutes. Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had fumbled a Branthwaite cross under pressure from Thierno Barry, and Harrison Armstrong's shot was blocked by Nobel Mendy. Ryan Giles then tried to clear, but the ball came off Johnson's leg and went in.

Johnson celebrated, but VAR Tim Wood sent referee Michael Salisbury to the pitchside monitor.

Salisbury disallowed the goal, telling the crowd that Johnson was offside and had challenged Giles for the ball. Plenty of Evertonians couldn't see how he was offside with two Hull defenders in front of him.

It was 0-0 when it happened, so it mattered. Everton went on to score through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Barry, but goals from Joe Gelhardt and Mohamed Belloumi meant they had to settle for a 2-2 draw that kept them unbeaten at the time.

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has now given its independent verdict, and it backs VAR. The panel has five members: three former players or coaches, one Premier League representative and one from Pro Ref.

Four of the five said the original decision to award the goal was wrong, and the same four said VAR was right to step in.

Their reasoning was that Johnson was already offside when Armstrong shot. Mendy's block counted as a save rather than a deliberate play, so the offside phase hadn't ended. Johnson then went straight into a challenge on Giles. The panel said this ended up "limiting the defender's options to clear the ball", which is an offside offence.

"The on-field decision was deemed incorrect and the VAR intervention was supported, 4:1. Johnson is in an offside position when Armstrong shoots at goal, and remains active following the save by the defender. Following the save, Johnson makes an immediate challenge on the defender, limiting the defender's options to clear the ball. One panellist deemed the on-field decision correct and the VAR intervention incorrect as they felt the defender made a deliberate action to clear the ball before Johnson impacts."

The one dissenting panellist saw it differently. In their view Giles had made a deliberate attempt to clear before Johnson made contact. That would have reset the offside phase, and the goal should have stood.

It's hard to argue with this one, frustrating as it was. A 4-1 vote is much clearer than the 3-2 split on Barry's disallowed header against Ipswich the game before. 

Giles does look as if he's trying to clear before Johnson gets to him. If you think that counts as a deliberate play, Johnson was onside. Even David Moyes accepted the decision after the game, while still seeming unsure about some of the detail.

Against Ipswich it didn't matter, because Everton won 1-0. At Hull it was 0-0 when the goal was ruled out and the game ended 2-2, so this one arguably cost Everton two points.