Usually when it comes to red cards that aren’t given out, there’s some room for argument. Usually, no matter how obvious a call it seems to most, there will be a significant minority arguing the case isn’t so clear; the matter not entirely cut and dry.
With [Everton](https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com) player James Tarkowski’s wild, studs-up lunge at pace into the high ankle of [Liverpool](https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/)’s Alexis Mac Allister, there was no such argument. Every pundit and fan, even the Everton-leaning ones, admitted it should be red. Everton manager David Moyes admitted it probably should have been red.
The only people who seemed to disagree were match referee Sam Barrott, who chose to give Tarkowski a yellow for his potential leg-breaker, and VAR official Paul Tierney, who watched it back on replay and decided it wasn’t worth another look for Barrott.
In the wake of the match and the controversial non-red, the English referee governing body Professional Game Match Officials Board has agreed Barrott and Tierney were wrong and that everybody else was right; that Tarkowski should have been sent off for the foul.
“It’s always good if they think they made a mistake that they acknowledge that,” was Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s reaction to the miscall, a degree of magnanimity probably made easier by the fact his side won in spite of it. “We all know mistakes are being made in a football match, by us, by me, by referees.
“It is good that they acknowledged the mistake, but it was so clear. There were so many pundits, not Liverpool fans, who were clear on it as well. We are aiming for a league without mistakes. I am aiming for a season without me making one mistake.
“Unfortunately, this will probably never happen. Not with me and not with refereeing decisions. I think it’s an okay season for the referees in England, actually. Mistakes are made, but the important thing is it doesn’t influence the league table and that will be seen at the end of the season.”