Everton boss David Moyes insisted he was happy with the performance of referee Michael Oliver during the Merseyside derby between the Toffees and Liverpool. Moyes’ side snatched a late point as James Tarkowski scored a 98th-minute equaliser.
The goal was checked by VAR after Ibrahima Konate thought he had been fouled in the build-up and was ultimately allowed to stand after a lengthy pause.
The match ended with a huge brawl as Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure were sent off after the final whistle, with the police forced to intervene. Liverpool boss Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also dismissed after the match.
“I thought the referee refereed the game well, he didn’t get involved with every challenge,” Moyes told the BBC’s Match of the Day after the showdown. “I think that it was a bit of an old-fashioned game.”
And discussing the brawl, he explained: “I didn’t see it from where I was. I have had a chance to see it and I’m disappointed because Doucoure played really well tonight and I’m going to now lose him because he’s got a second yellow card which turned into a red.
“The emotions were running high here all night, the stadium was at fever pitch. You could see what it meant to supporters at the end of the game, the crowd was rocking. It was one of the big nights.”
But Moyes’ comments about the referee were not mirrored by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, who took aim at Oliver for the official’s performance at Goodison Park.
“Intense, it was always going to be intense,” the Dutchman told TNT Sports. “A lot of battles. Very disappointing to concede in the last second of the game, or even over extra time – but it is what it is. It isn’t easy to accept it, especially in the manner how, but we take it and move on.
“I think the referee had a big part in the game today in terms of certain challenges were given as fouls and similar [ones] weren’t. In the end it is just disappointing to concede a very good strike, but a disappointing one.”
And he added: “This is their cup final and they would try to do everything in their power to make it difficult for us. It is a big boost for them but a blow for us.”
Everton took the lead against the Reds when Beto netted his third goal in his last two Premier League matches 11 minutes into the game.
Alexis Mac Allister fired Liverpool level five minutes later, with Mohamed Salah nudging the visitors ahead 17 minutes from full time.
But Tarkowski lashed home a leveller at the death as Everton moved 10 points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and Liverpool extended their lead over Arsenal at the top of the table to seven points.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk