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Dermot Gallagher shares verdict on controversy in Everton draw v Nottingham Forest live on Sky Sports
Dermot Gallagher believes that Everton were correctly turned down a second penalty when Seamus Coleman was challenged during their 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest on Sunday (5 March).
Sean Dyche’s side let a lead slip twice at the City Ground as they eventually shared the spoils with their relegation rivals, however, the match wasn’t without its controversy after the Toffees were awarded a spot kick after ten minutes but denied one later in the game.
Speaking live on Sky Sports Ref Watch (Monday 6 March, 11:49 am), ex-FIFA referee Gallagher believed that Jack Colback’s tackle on Coleman inside the box didn’t warrant any further action, despite their being clear contact in the box.
“This is going to divide people,” he said. “I think this is actually not a penalty. I think Coleman catches Colback’s foot as he is about to shoot. And that is what throws him off balance.
“It wasn’t an outstretched foot from Colback. The McNeil one was a tackle.
“It is what it is. I spoke with loads of people who thought it was a penalty. When it’s such a tough, tough call, then VAR won’t get involved.”
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Tough call
There was obvious contact between the two players as Coleman rushed into the box and looked to pull the ball back into the six-yard area, but the major talking point was who actually initiated it.
On closer review, it does look like Coleman in fact swings his leg into the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s path instead of Colback purposefully bringing him down with a rash tackle. All in all, the two penalty decisions looked to have been the right call on the day.
What will frustrate Dyche more than the controversy with the officials will be his side going ahead in the match twice but letting Steve Cooper’s team back into the match relatively easily on both occasions.
With every single match holding paramount importance in a relegation race as close at the one the Premier League is serving up right now, Everton would have been extremely disappointed to only come away from the City Ground with just a point.