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Panel Rules That Chelsea Were Wrong to Receive Penalty Against Crystal Palace

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Murray | Last updated Feb 10, 2026 1:55 PM ET

According to the Key Match Incident Panel, Chelsea should not have been awarded a penalty during their recent 3-1 triumph at Selhurst Park.

Referee Darren England had initially waved play on as João Pedro’s close-range effort deflected off the arm of French defender Jaydee Canvot, but was soon called to the monitor by his VAR colleague Matt Donohue. A lengthy review then followed that intervention, which eventually resulted in England pointing to the spot. Enzo Fernández subsequently stroked home from 12 yards to move Chelsea 3-0 in front, effectively putting the tie out of Palace’s reach.

The five-strong panel comprises three former players and coaches, with the remaining two spots filled by representatives of the PGMOL and the Premier League. Their reasons for arriving at this conclusion were two-fold; Canvot neither made his silhouette bigger nor moved his body into an unnatural position ahead of the Brazilian’s shot at goal, while the ball deflected off his hip prior to striking the arm and therefore he had little time to react.

Jaydee Canvot of Crystal Palace handles the ball after Chelsea's João Pedro shoots during January's encounter at Selhurst Park. (Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

The rules state that an infringement has occurred if a defender blocks a goal-bound attempt with their hand, regardless of whether this is an accidental or purposeful action. However, given the mitigation – with Canvot’s arm positioned low to his side and the ball initially ricocheting from another part of his body – no foul was committed in this case. Although the panel’s judgment will provide little comfort for Oliver Glasner’s men, it does raise questions regarding the subjectivity of the handball law. A number of similar incidents have been dealt with differently, and it’s these inconsistent conclusions that continue to aggrieve fans, players, and pundits alike.

Chelsea march on

Prior to Fernández’s clinically converted spot-kick, Brazilian duo Estêvão and João Pedro had given Chelsea a two-goal advantage. Adam Wharton received his marching orders with a little less than 20 minutes remaining after picking up a second yellow card, before Chris Richards headed home a late consolation for the hosts.

That success in South London was Chelsea’s second victory on their current four-match winning run, which could be extended this evening when they take on in-form Leeds United on home soil. Meanwhile, Palace recorded a first triumph in ten Premier League outings on Sunday afternoon by narrowly beating arch-rivals Brighton in the M23 derby. The Eagles face Burnley at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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