Everton star Jordan Pickford looking angry
Everton star Jordan Pickford looking angry
David Moyes' side secured passage to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Thursday night at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
However, tensions flared late on in the contest, with Joelinton appearing to throw an arm at the Blues stopper in the aftermath of the visitors' late consolation.
Pickford obviously reacted furiously and both players by referee Farai Hallam were booked for the incident.
Many observers felt like it could have been a red card for the Magpies star, given how he swung his arm towards the England number one.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has now spoken out about the controversy.
What did Keith Hackett say about Jordan Pickford and Joelinton incident?
Hackett believes it was not enough for Hallam to award a red card to the Brazilian.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News, he said: "When you get a mass confrontation of this nature, the advice to referees is that a minimum of two yellow cards should be issued to reassert the officials' authority.
"The arm from the player that was in contact with Pickford's face appeared to be one that was holding off his opponent, so not an act of violent conduct or a red card offence."
Hallam appears to have got it all right then, he cautioned Pickford and Joelinton for their involvement in the confrontation.
How Hallam reasserted his control on the match after controversy
He showed the two involved in the incident that their actions have consequences and did not send off the away midfielder for the arm to the face, while also booking James Tarkowski and Dan Burn.
It appears as though he did that to take control of the situation and show his authority, as Hackett states.
Hallam will not be in control when the sides meet again on Monday, and John Brooks will be in the middle at St James' Park.
He will hope that tensions do not arise again, as it will give him some difficult decisions to make on Monday evening.
Hopefully, the Toffees can get another win over the North East outfit, although the result in the cup may be one of the most important of the campaign, given the long trophy drought.