Everton manager Sean Dyche has said he is “confused” by the decision to overturn a penalty in his side’s favour in their Premier League defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Brighton secured a three-goal victory at Goodison Park in the opening match of the league season, although the home side thought they had been awarded a penalty when the game was finely poised at 0-1 in the 47th minute.
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin went to ground under a challenge from Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, with referee Simon Hooper initially awarding a spot kick before overturning his decision after being advised to review the penalty by VAR official Darren England.
There was added confusion with the VAR screen not functioning, with Hooper instead viewing a second monitor that was beneath the main screen.
53-year-old Dyche, whose team finished with 10 men following a late red card for Ashley Young, said the incident was a “big, big decision” in the match.
Referee Simon Hooper overturned the penalty award following a VAR referral (Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
“I can’t really work it out,” Dyche said after the game. “We go to these meetings. We’ve just literally been told that the bar is going to be incredibly high now (to overturn a decision). He makes a clear decision and has a perfect view.
“What’s the point in having a high bar then? Because when you look back on it, apparently the official line is that Dominic’s foot lands on one of their players.
“For one, he doesn’t obviously want to put his foot on their player and their player is out of control on the floor and drags his foot along with the bottom of his foot and the top of Dominic’s, which clearly pulls him (Calvert-Lewin) to the ground.”
Dyche added: “What is a pen then? Because that is contact in the box. We’ve all seen the tiniest tread on a toe and they give a penalty.
“I think we’re all confused by that and there’s no reason for confusion. If the referee gives that, he gives it. I don’t there’s too many complaints.”
Goals from Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and substitute Simon Adingra secured a three-goal win for Brighton, with Yasin Ayari’s late fourth goal being disallowed for offside.
(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
