Referee Samuel Barrott was at the centre of the debate in light of Liverpool vs Everton.
Referee Samuel Barrott was at the centre of the debate in light of Liverpool vs Everton.
Liverpool are 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League after their 1-0 win over rivals Everton. The Reds returned to winning ways after being forced to stew over their Champions League and Carabao Cup disappointment - but their triumph wasn't without controversy.
Arne Slot's side ensured that they maintained a respectable distance to nearest challengers after Diogo Jota's second-half strike was enough to see off the challenge of their cross-city rivals.
Liverpool shrugged off their 17-day wait to respond to their defeat at Wembley to get over the line in the Merseyside derby and go into the trip to Fulham needing 12 points from eight matches, should Arsenal win every game between then.
Related Articles
Arne Slot responds to PGMOL red card admission and David Moyes unhappiness - 'I got the idea'
Arne Slot drops Liverpool transfer hint after Richard Hughes discussions - 'that's very useful'
Sam Barrott was the man in the middle, with Paul Tierney as the Video Assistant Referee at Stockley Park. The ECHO assesses the big talking points from the last meeting between the two rivals this season;
James Tarkowski red card incident
In the 11th-minute, Tarkowski lunged into a full-blooded tackle with Alexis Mac Allister just outside the Everton penalty area.
Liverpool were on the attack, coming close to breaking down the Blues defence before the ball squirmed free. The former Burnley stopper and the Argentine were set for a 50-50 challenge until the Everton captain won the tackle, catching Mac Allister with the follow-through.
On Wednesday night, a Premier League statement put out on X (formerly Twitter) read: "The referee’s call of yellow card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was checked by the VAR, with contact on the follow through after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless."
Everton's James Tarkowski was shown a yellow card for a tackle on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
The ECHO review: The ball was there to be won and supporters of both clubs would begrudge their centre-half pulling out of the tackle.
However, the recklessness of the tackle is clear to see - and quite mindboggling how it wasn't spotted during the review from the VAR hub.
As Gary Neville explained, it is a leg-breaking tackle and Mac Allister is fortunate to have escaped a serious injury. Tarkowski makes contact high up on the World Cup-winner, with the force ultimately connecting with the back of Mac Allister's leg.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has already acknowledged that the decision not to send off the Everton defender was the wrong one.
The ECHO verdict: It's hard not to say what hasn't already been said. Tarkowski should have been sent off for the tackle. The 32-year-old explained that he apologised to the Liverpool midfielder and felt it was a bad one on his behalf.
The Premier League and refereeing body need to implement changes to their threshold to avoid further decisions like this going unchallenged.
Luis Diaz offside incident
The deadlock was broken shortly before the hour mark when Luis Diaz and Jota combined.
Ryan Gravenberch's pass was blocked by Tarkowski, with the Colombian behind him in an offside position, Jota picked the pockets of James Garner before a one-two with Diaz created an avenue for a shot.
Jota delivered, wrong-footing Jordan Pickford with a decisive finish.
At the time, only Jarrad Branthwaite appealed and in the aftermath, Everton have been left aggrieved by the decision to allow the goal to stand as it was deemed that Diaz had not interfered with play.
Everton raised complaints over Luis Diaz's involvement in the passage of play leading up to Liverpool's winner. (Image: BBC Match of the Day)
David Moyes said: "He’s offside. I’ve not had an explanation, but I’ve said that I’m disappointed.
"It’s quite an easy one to give as well, because all of our players are holding the 18-yard line, Diaz comes from behind and affects Tarky from behind, clearly.
"I’m really surprised it wasn’t given – or maybe I’m not surprised.
"I don’t there’s many managers who come here and think they get loads of decisions at Anfield, generally.
"That’s me, that’s my opinion, and this was one here tonight which I think was quite easy.
"He’s along the line, the linesman, it’s really easy to give offside. Very, very easy.
"I wasn’t quite sure how good the linesmen did their jobs tonight, generally, there was some early flags, some late flags. I don’t think they did particularly well at it."
The ECHO review: The rules imply that a player will be penalised if they are; preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision, or challenging an opponent for the ball, or clearly attempting to ply a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent, or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball.
Diaz is behind Tarkowski in the build-up and Gravenberch's initial pass is for the attacker.
The Everton defender's defensive instinct kicks in, and he makes a move to intercept or block the pass through.
Essentially, it is an action that Tarkowski needs to make but play continues which sees Garner tackled before Diaz and Jota combine before scoring.
The ECHO verdict: The complaints from Everton supporters are understandable as without Diaz behind the defensive line, Tarkowski could allow the ball to run through to Pickford or out of play.
However, on the other hand, the argument is that the Liverpool forward doesn't make an action towards the ball and begs the question over whether he truly interferes with play.
Jordan Pickford tangle with Darwin Nunez
In the latter stages of the game, there was a coming together between Darwin Nunez and Pickford as the Uruguayan raced towards the ball.
The England shot-stopper looked to clear the loose ball and avert the danger but caught the Liverpool striker in the process, leaving him in a heap.
Jordan Pickford collides with Darwin Nunez during Liverpool's 1-0 win over Everton. (Image: BBC Match of the Day)
The ECHO review: The referee had blown his whistle twice, first for a foul on Dominik Szoboszlai for a high boot from Tim Iroegbunam.
The whistle can be heard again later in the exchange around the time where Nunez jostled with Branthwaite, who's passback for his goalkeeper was tame allowing for the Liverpool forward to nip in first.
There were complaints about the tangle with Pickford and Nunez but the game had already been brought to a halt for a foul on the Hungarian.
Nunez was cautioned for rolling back onto the pitch under the rules of unsportsmanlike behaviour.
The ECHO verdict: The contact wasn't too reckless to warrant a red card for Pickford and with the game already long-halted for the incident on Szoboszlai, complaints are a non-starter.
Had there been no contact in Liverpool's half, play continued and the passage of play played out how it did, Liverpool would have had strong arguments for a penalty.