Everton manager David Moyes has expressed his frustration at the quality of officiating following yesterday’s derby day defeat.
A poor first half saw the Blues two goals down at the break, before Idrissa Gueye halved the deficit on 58 minutes.
However, Everton’s push for an equaliser was hampered by ‘very strange’ decisions by referee Darren England.
Indeed, with a quickly-taken free-kick pulled back, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s protestations fell on deaf ears.
The 27-year-old then inexplicably received a yellow card, a decision Moyes described as ‘unbelievable’.
As the clock reached 90, a meagre three minutes was added on. Few could argue it should have been at least double that amount.
Speaking at full-time, Moyes said: “I think three minutes [stoppage time] was very strange [and] we’ve been playing a couple of teams who’ve taken quick free-kicks in the games and they’ve caught us out.
“But today, every quick free-kick had to be stopped and brought back for the whistle. And then we got a booking for it.
“I find it quite unbelievable. They’re talking about trying to keep the game quick.”
REFEREEING DOUBLE STANDARDS CANNOT GO ON
The Everton boss could be seen confronting referee Darren England at full-time, with Jack Grealish needing to be escorted away by Jordan Pickford after talking himself into a booking.
The England international echoed Moyes’ sentiments regarding the quality of officiating, or more precisely lack thereof.
Grealish said: “Even the stoppage-time, three minutes and one minute – I’ve never seen that in the Premier League in the last two or three years. There were frustrations with the referee.”
The quality and consistency of officiating in the Premier League has been abysmal for years. There is no doubt that the badge on the shirt influences the decisions made by referees.
Indeed, it has become an aspect of the game fans have been forced to accept. One rule for one, one rule for another.
The bias towards the so-called big six cannot go on.
