Everton were left furious after their appeals for a penalty in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool were rejected on Sunday afternoon.
The incident occurred during the first-ever derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, following Everton’s move from Goodison Park this season.
Dewsbury-Hall Challenge Sparks Debate
The home side appealed for a spot-kick after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall went to ground in the penalty area. The challenge came after a shoulder-to-shoulder incident with Liverpool’s Curtis Jones.
Referee Chris Kavanagh waved away the initial appeals from the Everton players. Blues manager David Moyes also appealed for a penalty to be awarded.
VAR reviewed Kavanagh’s decision. The on-field call of no penalty was ultimately confirmed by the video assistant referee.
Sutton’s Verdict on the Incident
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, on commentary duty for Sky Sports, gave his verdict on Everton’s penalty appeals.
“His [Dewsbury-Hall] run is well-timed,” Sutton said. “The ball is excellent. Chris Kavanagh said it was shoulder to shoulder and that was my initial reaction too.
“Was he getting on the end of that anyway? Too easy, though, to run off the back of [Dominik] Szoboszlai to get in.”
VAR Denies Everton Again
Moments after the penalty appeal, Everton thought they had taken the lead in the Merseyside derby. Iliman Ndiaye latched onto a cross from Jake O’Brien to place the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
However, VAR intervened due to an offside in the build-up, disallowing Ndiaye’s effort.
Less than two minutes later, Liverpool took the lead through a first-time effort from Mohamed Salah.
Match Context and Ambitions
Both Liverpool and Everton entered the game aiming to secure three points to boost their chances of European qualification.
- Everton went into kick-off in 10th place in the Premier League table.
- A victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium would have moved them to within two points of sixth-placed Liverpool.
Liverpool’s win gave them the edge in the derby and strengthened their push for a European spot.