George Overhill

Mon 16 May 2022 21:10, UK

Gary Neville couldn’t believe Jamie Carragher’s view on the controversial decision to not award Everton a penalty when Richarlison’s shirt was pulled.

The pair of Sky Sports pundits disagreed with each other when analysing the first-half incident in the 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Sunday (15 May), with Neville suggesting his counterpart had changed his usual stance on such events.

Michael Oliver ignored claims for a penalty when the Toffees’ Brazilian striker had his shirt pulled extensively in the box be Bees defender Kristoffer Ajer, seconds before Jarrad Branthwaite was sent off for bringing down Ivan Toney at the other end.

Providing the analysis on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (7.25pm) ex-Liverpool man Carragher said: “This is in slow motion and the stills make it look like, ‘How can he not give a penalty for that decision?’

“He’s got a lot of shirt there. But what I would say is I don’t think it’s a penalty, because we’re watching it in slow motion.

“People are saying it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other. It’s not, it’s more Ajer, it might be eight [to] four.

“Richarlison complains at the end of it, not actually when it’s going on.”

Former Manchester United right-back Neville responded: “I’m surprised at you, because you’ve always said you’ve got to know when to let go of the shirt.

“I just thought he held on to it for so long. I know it’s slow motion but it’s protracted like you wouldn’t believe.

“That first angle that you’ve shown there, I’m struggling with the amount of time and then the distance he keeps on pulling his shirt. He doesn’t just pull it once, he has another go again.

“There’s no way that’s being overturned if he gives it a penalty, no way in a million years.

“So for me, I can see why Everton are annoyed, and you’ve always said, ‘You’ve got to know when to let go’.

“We’ve all grabbed shirts… you don’t pull, and pull, and pull… I think he’s just held on too long. I think they can be aggrieved.”

Carragher refers to the subsequent red card and says: “I think if what goes on at the other end [doesn’t happen], I don’t think we’re really talking about that.”

How?

It is strange enough that he thinks it wasn’t a foul in the first place, but to do slow motion analysis and admit that the defender was more to blame and still say it wasn’t is as surprising as Neville says.

Of the controversial decisions in the game this one feels like the one that looks more glaring with every viewing.

The actual red cards in isolation can’t really be questioned, and the decision to not send off Mads Bech for the penalty that did get given was more debatable.

But if shirt-pulling is an infringement then there is hardly a clearer example of that this one.

It may be tempting for fans who are feeling the pressure to claim rough treatment at the hands of the officials but the Toffees have been on the receiving end of some stinkers.

While not quite at the level of bafflement of the Rodri handball that went unpenalised (26 February), the Richarlison shirt-pull stings all the more because had it been awarded the subsequent sending off wouldn’t have happened.

Carragher agreed that the first red card turned the game and the home side would have won and been “safe” without it.

Of course there is more focus on the decision because of the following events, but even if the result had ended as a comfortable home win it would be difficult to watch the replays and not wonder how it wasn’t given.

There are two games to go in the relegation battle and the club are still in the driving seat over Leeds and Burnley.

So they will still be hopeful that these mounting decisions don’t end up costing them dearly.

In other Everton news, the club want a versatile player who is performing strongly abroad as a summer singing to replace a current first-team stalwart.

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