Anjishnu Roy 03/04/2025 19comments  |  Jump to last

Everton’s James Tarkowski should have been sent off early in the first half for his tackle on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister at Anfield says the Premier League referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL). 

Tarkowski was shown a yellow by referee Sam Barrott and although video assistant referee Paul Tierney halted proceedings to assess a potential red card situation, he didn’t recommend any further action.

“We could have been lucky we didn’t get a red. It looked a high one,” said manager David Moyes in the aftermath of the Merseyside derby won 1-0 by Liverpool. 

PGMOL further added that Tarkowski initially cleared the ball but his follow-up through on the Argentine midfielder met the threshold to deem serious foul play and therefore, could have been a red card. 

"He should have gone to the screen and he should be off. It is a horrible challenge. I don't care what the Match Centre says. It was a stonewall red card,” said former referee Mike Dean while Everton legend Duncan Ferguson told Sky Sports, "There is no argument. It's a straight red. It's a leg-breaker. He should have given the red on the pitch."

PGMOL said that VAR Tierney should’ve sent match referee Barrott to review the footage on the pitch and the original decision of yellow should’ve been overturned

 

Reader Comments (19)

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Bill Hawker
1 Posted 03/04/2025 at 17:50:09
Yeah, so? How many times have PGMOL come out to say they got it wrong. Plenty. This is just another one of those times.

How about they work on fixing the rules and the officiating so they don't have to constantly come out and say, "We got it wrong"???

Paul Birmingham
2 Posted 03/04/2025 at 18:45:31
VAR is killing the game and is diluting each passing season the enjoyment and value of paying to watch the match or by TV.

The PGMOL should endorse what they preach after these events. But rarely do Everton get much support in such cases and the most recent debacle v Man Utd in January. Also, the famous 1-1 draw in 2020 v Man Utd. Siggy, plus God knows how many disgusting fouls by RS players against Everton players. And the numerous disallowed goals...over decades.

And St Virgil gets away with influencing the officials every game. On the pitch, in the tunnel, and in the media.

Tarkowski got slaughtered for a heavy tackle. The RS expect every team to stand off and give them free reign to do what they want.

At least Everton gave as good as they got and more and, aside from standing off for their offside goal, put in a good defensive shift.

But the game, from an enjoyment factor and value for money, is waning.

Dave Abrahams
3 Posted 03/04/2025 at 19:50:53
Paul (2),

I agree with everything you say, I'm not interested in what the PGMOL have to say — they are a big part of the problem.

And Ferguson joining the pundits prostituting themselves to earn money — does anybody take any notice of their points of view?

Liam Mogan
4 Posted 03/04/2025 at 19:53:25
I've had Sly Sports on for the last hour and they haven't shown the Tarkowski challenge, assault, attempted murder once. What's going on?

To be fair, I have had the darts on.

John Raftery
5 Posted 03/04/2025 at 20:26:21
Paul (2),

Like Dave, I fully agree with you about VAR. PGMOL has a vested interest in retaining it because their members earn hundreds of pounds extra per week filling the roles. I think it's £1,500 for a VAR role itself and £800 for the assistant. It has sucked the joy out of the game.

No wonder the clubs in the EFL don't want any truck with it.

Mike Connolly
6 Posted 03/04/2025 at 21:03:28
Disgusted with Dunc. Straight out with "Definitely a sending-off" — in front of Carragher. He could have said "Things happen in high-tension derbies".

It was better when he wasn't talking for 25 years. Now he singing like a fucking canary, the money-grabbing twat.

Paul Hewitt
7 Posted 03/04/2025 at 21:29:23
It was a terrible tackle, if it had been the other way around we would have been calling for a red. And it's nothing to do with the teams involved. Any other player any other team it's a red.
Mike Connolly
8 Posted 03/04/2025 at 21:47:26
We all know its should have been red we don't need to highlight it. Didnt get Kopites shouting down Dirk Kuyt with his horrific tackle from two miles up in the air
Danny O'Neill
9 Posted 03/04/2025 at 21:49:14
St Virgil may as well have worn a refs kit last night. He was advising them often enough. The infield VAR representative.
Mike Connolly
10 Posted 03/04/2025 at 21:55:15
like everthing else Danny gets smoothed over and not mentioned. weve got enough pundits puting the boot into us with out us shooting ourself in the foot. Lets do what liverpool would do in this situation. Blame the chelsea fans
Si Cooper
11 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:19:01
Paul H, exactly right. Some ridiculous ‘justification’ of it when it does no harm to be honest about it on TW.
Mike C, I’m confused. You are ‘disgusted’ with a football pundit telling the truth?
I’m disgusted by the ones who spout nonsense just to curry favour.
Ferguson isn’t there to protect our players and I’m fine with him preserving his integrity by saying it as he see’s it.
Mike Connolly
12 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:27:44
yeah tel the truth Si but like most pundits do it when its not your team
Derek Thomas
13 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:35:01
Somebody looks sideways at a rs and it's the end of the world We get away with one – it happens, not very often in our case though compared to others – and all of a sudden in the rs media... which is most of it... it's a national scandal.

You shouldn't be surprised really.

Mike Gaynes
14 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:40:21
Clear red for me. No question. Tarkowski got lucky.

But Mike's absolutely correct that ultimately it's Chelsea's fault.

Si Cooper
15 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:41:15
That's just sinking to lesser people's level, Mike. I'd never advocate anyone should do that.

I've got skin thick enough not to get upset by anyone telling the truth about our club or our players.

Mike Connolly
16 Posted 03/04/2025 at 22:56:36
Well, Si, Liverpool adopted don't admit to anything. Look where they have been and look at us with integrity fighting relegation for years. I'd swap that.

Oh, Si, and you're right, it was deffo a red card but I would not admit that to Carra and Dalgliesh. I also think Dunc was only there as a token jesture to have a blue in the studio. Apart from that, we didnt roll over.

Si Cooper
17 Posted 03/04/2025 at 23:06:42
Mike (16), you’ve made a cause / effect association that I can’t really follow. Individuals having integrity is why Everton have been in a 40 year fallow period?
Christy Ring
18 Posted 04/04/2025 at 08:34:28
Would Sky and the pro redshite pundits be making a meal of this if it was Van Dick who cleared the ball? It was a clearance not a tackle, he was falling back and his momentum carried him through. I’m sick of the likes of Warnock, a know all on ref watch, saying’ he knew what he was doing., Didn’t McAllister have his left foot raised, studs showing?
Christine Foster
19 Posted 04/04/2025 at 10:34:32
Christy, exactly what I said on the other thread. It was not a tackle it was a clearance, there is a massive difference. McAllister ran into the clearance. Look at the video closely not the photos, they lie. Tarkowski went for a ball that McAlliter did not have, was not in his playing distance. Tarkowski hammered the ball away expecting a tackle that McAllister chickened out of. It looked bad but in today's premier league it was a red card. What does that say about football being a contact sport?

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