Ex-FIFA official shares what saved Ashley Young from Everton red card v Man United as footage shown
Dermot Gallagher shared his thoughts on the penalty incident from Everton v Manchester United as Young looked to have escaped a second yellow card.
During Everton’s 3-0 loss to Man United on Sunday afternoon, Anthony Martial was booked for simulation after taking a tumble in the box but after conferring with VAR, referee John Brooks instead awarded a penalty against Ashley Young.
The former Premier League referee believes he knows the reason why Young, who had been yellow-carded for a challenge on Alejandro Garnacho in the first half, was not punished further for giving away the penalty.
“The big decision is – is it a penalty? That was correct,” he said on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch. “Is it a second yellow card? Possibly.
“But I wouldn’t say that it’s guaranteed. The one thing I would say is to go from a dive for one player to a red card for another, it is a big, big spectrum to travel.
“Has the referee made that much of an error? That’s a massive difference.”
Subjective opinions
Whether Young should have been given his marching orders for giving away the penalty is completely subjective, and may have been shown a second yellow and then a red on another day, with a different official.
What cannot be argued as much is the clumsiness of Young’s tired leg as Martial burst into the Everton penalty area. It left Brooks with no option to give a penalty, once shown the incident on the monitor afterwards.
The Toffees have now joined West Ham in conceding the most penalties so far this season – four. It is certainly an unwanted record, one that Dyche will be very unhappy about, especially. The penalty against Man United marked back-to-back games with penalties given away.
Everton also finished last season with the joint-fifth most penalties conceded, facing six and Jordan Pickford only being able to save one. Conceding so many penalties already puts the team at a disadvantage, causing concern in the backline and paving an easy route to goal for the opposition.
Pickford, Jarrad Branthwaite, Michael Keane and Young are now all guilty of giving the opposition a spot-kick. From the most experienced players to one of the most promising youngsters, it is beginning to spread like wildfire and something needs to change.
In other Everton news, Man United star Bruno Fernandes has had his say on the Blues’ 10-point deduction.