VAR overturns involving Aston Villa this season: 1 went against Aston Villa (card upgraded to red v Brighton), 2 in Aston Villa's favour (penalty overturned v Arsenal, goal ruled out v Spurs). This counts the direction of each overturn as recorded by the data feed; it is not a judgement on whether the decisions were correct. Panel verdicts, where they exist, are quoted below.
Every VAR overturn in Aston Villa's games
| Date | Opponent | Score | Minute | What happened | Direction | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 23 Aug | Brighton (A) | 4-0 | 39' | Card upgraded to red after VAR review (Aston Villa, João Gomes) | Against | Peter Bankes |
| Mon 31 Aug | Arsenal (H) | 0-1 | 55' | Penalty overturned after VAR review (Arsenal, Bukayo Saka) | In favour | Jarred Gillett |
| Sat 19 Sept | Spurs (A) | 2-3 | 60' | Goal ruled out after VAR review (Tottenham, Mohammed Kudus) | In favour | Sam Barrott |
2 of Aston Villa's 5 games had no VAR overturn recorded. Scores are home-away.
Covers every finished Premier League game up to Sunday 20 September 2026 (Matchweek 5). Updated 30 September 2026.
Incidents from Aston Villa's games reviewed by the KMI panel
Votes are written as the Premier League prints them: the first figure is the number of panellists who agreed with the printed verdict.
- Brighton v Villa, Sun 23 Aug, 37:20. Sending off not given. Actions of Gomes (AVL) on Rutter (BHA). On-field decision: incorrect, violent conduct by Gomes (0:5); VAR overturned the on-field decision, which the panel found correct (5:0). The referee was Peter Bankes.
"The VAR intervention to award a red card for violent conduct was unanimously supported. Gomes kicked out at Rutter after the ball had gone."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 1, published by the Premier League on 2 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- Brighton v Villa, Sun 23 Aug, 78:53. Penalty not awarded. Challenge by McGinn (AVL) on Osman (BHA). On-field decision: incorrect, foul by McGinn (1:4); no VAR intervention, which the panel found correct, not a clear and obvious error (3:2). The referee was Peter Bankes.
"The panel were split, 4:1, with the majority feeling that a penalty should have been awarded on-field. McGinn steps into challenge Osman and makes contact without playing the ball. Whilst the majority of the panel preferred the outcome to be a penalty, with the high threshold for VAR intervention, the majority, 3:2, felt that it was not a clear and obvious error."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 1, published by the Premier League on 2 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- Villa v Arsenal, Mon 31 Aug, 53:43. Penalty awarded. Challenge by Maatsen (AVL) on Saka (ARS). On-field decision: incorrect, factually outside the area (0:5); VAR overturned the on-field decision, which the panel found correct (5:0). The referee was Jarred Gillett.
"The VAR intervention to award a free kick instead of a penalty was unanimously supported with the foul occurring just outside the area."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 2, published by the Premier League on 9 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- Villa v Arsenal, Mon 31 Aug, 90:00+07:27. Penalty not awarded. Challenge by Maatsen (AVL) on Guimaraes (ARS). On-field decision: incorrect, foul by Maatsen (0:5); no VAR intervention, which the panel found incorrect, clear and obvious error (0:5). The referee was Jarred Gillett.
"The panel felt that a penalty should have been awarded on-field for Maatsen's reckless challenge on Guimaraes. Clear contact was made on the attacker's standing leg and Maatsen made no contact with the ball. They also felt that VAR should have intervened as the non-penalty award was a clear and obvious error."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 2, published by the Premier League on 9 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
- Villa v Arsenal, Mon 31 Aug, 90:00+07:28. Second caution not given. Challenge by Maatsen (AVL) on Guimaraes (ARS). On-field decision: incorrect (0:5); VAR not applicable. The referee was Jarred Gillett.
"The panel felt that the challenge was reckless and therefore a second caution should have been awarded."Key Match Incidents panel, Match Round 2, published by the Premier League on 9 September 2026. Article, full table (PDF).
What is counted here. The data feed records that VAR intervened and what the outcome was: a goal ruled out, a goal awarded, a penalty overturned, a card upgraded. It does not record whether a decision was right, and neither does this page. "In favour" and "against" describe whose goal, penalty or card the overturn concerned. The only bodies that rule on correctness are the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel and Pro Ref, the referees' body formerly known as PGMOL; where the panel has published a verdict it is quoted with its date on the KMI panel page.
Common questions
How many VAR decisions have gone against Aston Villa this season?
1 of the 3 VAR overturns recorded in Aston Villa's 5 games up to 20 September 2026 concerned Aston Villa's own goal, penalty or card (card upgraded to red v Brighton). That is the direction of the overturn, not a verdict on it; the Premier League's panel has published verdicts on 5 incidents from Aston Villa's games, quoted on this page.
Who decides whether a VAR decision was wrong?
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel, which votes on each chosen incident and publishes its verdicts about ten days after the round, and Pro Ref (formerly PGMOL) through its own statements. This site quotes both with dates and never adds a verdict of its own. See the KMI panel page.
Who has refereed Aston Villa's games this season?
Every referee and the record under each is on the Aston Villa referees page.