Everton snap report from Chris Beesley after the clash with Leeds United in the Premier League on Monday
ECHO Everton reporter Chris Beesley has covered Everton and Liverpool both in the Premier League and abroad since 2005. He cut his teeth in professional sports journalism at the Ellesmere Port Pioneer and then the Welsh edition of the Daily Post, where he also covered Manchester United. Prior to that he worked on the student newspaper Pluto at the University of Central Lancashire, a role in which he first encountered David Moyes. Chris is well-known for his sartorial elegance and the aforementioned Scottish manager once enquired of him at a press conference: "Is that your dad's suit you've got on?" while the tradition continued in 2023 with new Blues boss Sean Dyche complimenting him on his smart appearance.
Tarkowski complains to the referee at full time (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
Will Everton and their captain James Tarkowski get another retrospective apology for a dodgy penalty going against them? Don’t hold your breath with the Premier League.
Make no bones about it, the Blues were very much second best in the first half at Elland Road as Leeds United threw the kitchen sink at them but after weathering the storm in Yorkshire, David Moyes’ side steadied the ship after the interval and good value for a share of the spoils with their newly promoted hosts appearing to have run out of steam, Tarkowski, in typically fearless fashion, flung himself at Anton Stach’s shot, only for referee Christopher Kavanagh to point to the spot.
There was no outstretched arm from the centre-back and the ball appeared to strike him on the upper arm. Perhaps predictably, unlike when Manchester City’s Rodri attempted to play a bit of basketball at Goodison Park in 2022, there was no reprieve here from the supposed ‘t-shirt’ line as despite VAR official John Brooks taking a look down at Stockley Park, the original decision stood and the game was lost.
The decision came little over a fortnight after Tarkowski, back starting his first game since suffering a hamstring injury in April, applied as much force to Manchester United winger Amad as a maitre d’ might be expected to use when guiding you to a seat in a restaurant, only for referee Thomas Bramall to point to the spot in the Premier League Summer Series in Atlanta.
On that occasion, the ECHO was told that the 35-year-old official apologised to Everton’s players afterwards, admitting he got it wrong. But that was pre-season and the game finished 2-2.
This is the real thing and yet again, crucial calls are going against the Blues. Perhaps this sounds like sour grapes but the implementation of the laws of the game can only lead you to conclude that it’s one rule for certain teams and one for another, and this has to stop.