- Everton have been denied three times this season due to wrong VAR calls
- Merlin Rohl was grappled by Silva, but VAR didn’t intervene.
- David Moyes confronted Michael Oliver over the incident
Everton has had many decisions going against them. Recently, three more incidents in the Premier League have been confirmed to be wrong by the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel. Among them is Everton’s penalty claim during the 3-3 draw with Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In the 87th minute, with the score at 3‑2, Bernardo Silva grappled Merlin Rohl inside the box, dragging the Everton midfielder to the ground. Referee Michael Oliver waved play on and VAR did not intervene. Later, the KMI panel reviewed the incident.
All five members agreed with David Moyes, stating, “There is a clear, sustained holding offence which continues as the corner is taken and the ball comes into play.”
David Moyes: ‘I went to see Michael Oliver after the game, calmly’
Ahead of Everton’s final home match against Sunderland, Moyes revealed that he had personally visited referee Michael Oliver to seek an explanation. “The one against Manchester City I went to see Michael Oliver after the game, calmly, and I said I genuinely think you’ve missed something here, I’m finding it very hard to accept a referee, two linesman, a fourth official, VAR, that none of them would have picked up on it, and I still feel that way.
“How have they not seen it? Sometimes the referee might not, but with the other people around them, you’d hope they’d get the right result, and then you add in VAR as well.”
The Everton manager expressed his disappointment, particularly given the club’s strong season. “So we’ve had a couple, but we can’t do anything about it now, but really disappointing, and more disappointing because we’ve worked really hard this season to get into a strong position. We’ve been in the top half for most of the season and I think if you said that at the start of the season, I would have said, ‘thanks very much’.”
The impact of these decisions has been massive on Everton
Speaking more broadly about the series of incorrect decisions against Everton, David Moyes acknowledged that at least the authorities have admitted their mistakes. “The impact on us has been big. They don’t particularly like coming out and admitting they’ve got it wrong. At least they’ve owned up (to West Ham/Man City mistakes), so when you get that, you accept it, we all make mistakes, and if they’re making mistakes, we’ll move on and try and win the last two games.”
He also called for change. “Everybody is pretty disappointed with lots of things that have gone on this year, so yes, I think they’ve going to have to do something.”
Everton have now been denied three clear penalties this season. The others being in a 1‑0 home loss to Arsenal and a 2‑1 defeat at West Ham. Remarkably, the Toffees are the only Premier League team not to have received a single VAR intervention in their favour all campaign.
With two games remaining, Moyes and his players must channel their frustration into results. The apology from the KMI panel offers little consolation, but as the manager said, the only way forward is to keep winning.
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