Simon Jordan in TalkSPORT studio with David Moyes in circular inset
(Credit: Imago, TalkSPORT YouTube channel)
Joe Elvin
Tue 19 August 2025 16:40, UK
Everton lost the opening game of their Premier League season 1-0 at Leeds on Monday.
The game at Elland Road was decided by a Lukas Nmecha penalty given in the 84th minute, after James Tarkowski was judged to have handled Anton Stach’s shot.
The decision to award a penalty infuriated Everton fans, and David Moyes argued that the penalty shouldn’t have been given after the game.
Moyes also used his post-match press conference to criticise the standard of refereeing as a whole across the opening Premier League weekend.
However, his own reaction to the defeat has now been criticised.
David Moyes being interviewed
David Moyes argued that Tarkowski’s arm was in a natural position when the ball struck it (Credit: Imago)
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David Moyes criticised by Simon Jordan for reaction to Leeds penalty decision
Leeds outplayed Everton for much of the match, although the penalty decision was ultimately the difference between the two sides.
Some pundits, including Gary Neville on Sky Sports, have claimed that the referee was right to award the penalty.
It was a controversial decision that could have gone either way, such is the ambiguity of the handball rule.
Reacting to the game on his TalkSPORT morning show, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan suggested that Moyes was somewhat of a hypocrite for blaming the referee for his side’s defeat.
He said: “The inconsistency that managers deploy to the standards of refereeing is a challenging thing for me.
“Because I understand he’s frustrated. I understand he’s put on the spot, but I guarantee you if you reverse that situation and the penalty had been given to Everton, you wouldn’t hear a peep from him.
“David Moyes, as much as I like him, if that was the other end of the equation, he’d be complaining about not being given it or silent about being given it. So you can’t have it both ways.”
Moyes will be aware his Everton side needs to dramatically improve
It’s hardly a new trend in football for managers to blame the referee for their team losing.
If it’s not the officials, it’s injuries, bad luck, poor finishing or whoever organised the fixture list.
Often, these excuses are thrown out to the media to take the pressure off the players or distract people from a poor performance.
In this case, Moyes will know that his team has to drastically improve if they’re going to enjoy a fruitful season in the Premier League.
Leeds Everton
Goals 1 0
Shots on goal 21 7
Possession 54 46
Leeds vs Everton key statistics
Everton had no shots in the first half. They barely touched the ball in Leeds’ penalty box. They were outbattled, outfought and outthought by Leeds in every area of the pitch.
Marginal penalty decisions tend to even out throughout the season, but Everton won’t be getting their fair share if they barely lay a glove on the opposition box.
Moyes has a lot of work to do to get his team up to snuff, and he knows it.
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