Another Premier League game. Another major talking point. This time involving Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
Ange Postecoglou’s side raced into a 2-0 lead on Saturday, but Everton roared back and were knocking on the door as they searched for goals.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin felt that he had pulled a goal back for the hosts, only for the goal to be chalked off because VAR judged that there was a foul in the bulld-up by Andre Gomes.
Ian Wright thinks Sean Dyche’s side had a ‘perfectly good goal ruled out’ and a draw against Tottenham would have been a ‘fair result’, as he told Premier League Productions (23/12/23 at 8:45 pm).
Whilst Alan Shearer, speaking on Match of the Day, could sympathise with Sean Dyche who was understandably annoyed and frustrated by it all.
Everton did score eight minutes from time to pull a goal back and kept pushing. It could be argued that they were the better team.
All of which just makes matters worse for an Everton side, who if it wasn’t for their ten-point deduction, would be sitting tenth in the Premier League table and not 16th.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin disallowed goal
“The referee didn’t think so and the assistant didn’t think so (that it was a foul), so I totally get and understand what Sean (Dyche) is saying,” said Shearer.
“Yeah, it probably is a foul. But is it an absolute howler? He (on-field referee) didn’t think it was a foul. I get Sean’s point and I understand him as well.”
Wright added: “I thought Everton were very unlucky. I thought they had a perfectly good goal disallowed. In the end, I think the draw would have been a fair result.”
Everton looking strong
That Everton team that has been struggling over the years is now looking far, far different.
The performances, both at home and on the road, have been outstanding, and if it wasn’t for the points deduction, then they would be pushing for Europe.
Dyche deserves huge credit for the job he is doing, and for once, the Toffees can go into the January transfer window without needing to get themselves out of a sticky situation.
You could argue that the team doesn’t need any more fresh faces because to a man they are performing admirably.
