Sky Sports pundit left with no idea after incident in great Everton v Liverpool clash
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Players have been sent off for less than the foul Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk committed against Everton midfielder Amadou Onana says Kevin Campbell.
A studs-up challenge from the Dutchman landed on the Toffees player’s shin before sliding down onto his foot, but the referee gave him a yellow card and Dermot Gallagher gave a confusing justification for it on Sky Sports subsequently.
Former Everton captain Campbell, a Sky Sports pundit, was glad that a sending off didn’t end up spoiling a fantastic game but is pretty clear about what he saw and doesn’t understand why it wasn’t a red card.
“Let’s have it right, main point of contact and first point of contact is different,” he said, speaking exclusively to Goodison News.
“He was up his shin and the ball had long gone. We have seen players sent off for less. And again we get back to, I don’t know what a foul is any more. I don’t know what a red card is any more.
“Fine, he gave a yellow and it didn’t spoil the game. But again, we’ve seen players get sent off for less than that tackle.
“So this is what drives fans crazy because you go to one game and somebody gets sent off for something like that and then you look at this game and somebody gets a yellow card.
“Inconsistency is crazy in the league. I don’t want the derby spoiled because I felt it was a really good spectacle, but if you’re officiating to the letter of the law, that is above the ball, it goes over the ball and he hits him on the shin.
“The fact he goes down the shin to the ankle, yeah I get that, but the first point of contact is the shin.
“So the referee thought it was a yellow card. I don’t know why because I’ve seen people sent off. But I’m happy that it didn’t spoil the game. It was a really good game.”
For all the Toffees supporters would have enjoyed a great game at Goodison they would have enjoyed it a lot more if Frank Lampard’s side had come away with three points.
The vast majority would no doubt have sacrificed an exciting end to the game in favour of closing out a 1-0 result against 10 men.
But as so often recently those key decisions weren’t made and they were forced to settle for a creditable point while the search for the first win goes on.