The vote was unanimous in a week that saw four mistakes - all of which hurt Everton's challenge for Europe
Pep Guardiola heads to shake David Moyes' hand after the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Pep Guardiola heads to shake David Moyes' hand after the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
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Everton should have been given a penalty against Manchester City, the watchdog that judges matchday decisions has ruled.
The Blues were denied a spot kick when Merlin Rohl went down under pressure from Bernardo Silva as they led City 3-2 with just minutes to go. City went on to score a stoppage time equaliser that severely dented Everton’s European ambitions.
After the match a furious David Moyes fumed: "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on."
It appears the five members of the key match incidents panel agreed - they voted unanimously that Everton should have been granted a penalty, according to BBC Sport.
The incident was not seen by referee Michael Oliver and VAR Paul Howard ruled Silva’s holding of Rohl took place before the ball was in play, meaning he could not step in to suggest the decision be changed.
The incident was the third time the panel had ruled the failure to award a penalty to Everton was wrong this season. One should have been given when William Saliba kicked Thierno Barry in Everton’s 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal and the Blues should have received a spot kick when Mateus Fernandes handled the ball in the 2-1 defeat at West Ham - the game before Everton faced Man City. Everton are the only team in the top flight who have not had VAR intervene positively for them this season.
Club chiefs questioned the decisions they had been subjected to after the West Ham game by writing to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited to express their concern.
To make matters worse, the panel ruled there were three other incorrect decisions in the same gameweek as Everton’s against Man City. It decided a penalty awarded to Bournemouth in their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace should not have been given. Junior Kroupi scored to make it 2-0 from that opportunity.
West Ham should also have been awarded two penalties in their 3-0 loss to Brentford, the panel agreed. Both Brentford and Bournemouth secured results that strengthened their bids to beat Everton to European qualification spots.
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