David Moyes has come under fire for an "embarrassing" post-match interview following Everton's 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Wednesday night. A decisive goal from Diogo Jota secured Liverpool's 100th Merseyside derby victory, bringing them one step closer to their 20th league title.
As expected, the match wasn't without controversy. Just seven weeks ago, the final-ever derby at Goodison Park was marked by two red cards and several contentious moments. That intensity carried over into this clash, proving once again that the so-called "friendly derby" is anything but. From James Tarkowski's reckless studs-up challenge on Alexis Mac Allister to Darwin Nunez receiving a questionable yellow card after being kicked by Jordan Pickford, Anfield played host to yet another fiery encounter.
Moyes, now winless in 20 Premier League games at Anfield, didn't take the result well, and his post-match remarks have left many puzzled.
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David Moyes' 'Embarrassing' Post-Match Interview
The Scot has been slammed for seemingly not knowing the rules
David Moyes
In the lead-up to Liverpool's goal, Luis Diaz seemed to be in an offside position, prompting an Everton defender to hastily clear the ball before Jota capitalised by firing it past Jordan Pickford. The goal was allowed to stand, as the Colombian winger was deemed not to have interfered with play. However, Moyes believed VAR should have ruled it out. He said (watch the interview below):
"There's an offside goal, which they get. So that's the difference in the game tonight. I think the players behind Tarkowski have interfered with him. It's a clear offside, I think it's an easy decision. I can't think of any reason that wouldn't have been given offside."
Later on in the same interview, Moyes also seems to praise Tarkowski for a challenge on Mac Allister that the rest of the world - including Duncan Ferguson - condemned as one of the most straightforward red cards ever (watch the incident below). He added:
"My first thought was that it was a great tackle in a derby. A tackle that we used to see a few years ago. I understand it's a bit different now to what it was like afterwards. We were maybe a bit lucky, but don't put it in the same bracket as Liverpool's goal, because it was another incident that won the game for Liverpool."
His interesting comments have certainly drawn the ire of fans online, with one X user remarking: “Moyes has embarrassed himself. You’d have thought after all his years in the game he’d know the rules. Clueless about the red card. Clueless about the offside," while a second continued: “Moyes is an idiot. The 2 incidents aren’t related, eh Davey boy? Tarkowski shouldn’t have been on the pitch in the lead up to the goal.”
A third user wrote: “Diaz made no attempt for the ball and never interfered with play. Sounds like Moyes is making excuses for losing a game that his side didn’t deserve to win in the first place. Nothing new there," while a fourth said: “David moyes clearly doesn’t know the offside rule. That's not an opinion, it’s fact. How can a Premier League manager rock up to a post-match interview and speak like someone who has never watched football in his life?”
“David Moyes giving an interview straight out of the 90’s," someone else said, while a sixth user concluded: “A case of a manager not knowing the laws of the game.”