Harri Burton

Fri 5 January 2024 12:10, UK

Alan Brazil is confident that Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s controversial red card for Everton in the 0-0 FA Cup draw against Crystal Palace will be overturned.

The 26-year-old was given his marching orders by Chris Kavanagh after he was instructed to rewatch an innocuous sliding challenge on Nathaniel Clyne with just 10 minutes left to play.

However, the talkSPORT host has been extremely critical of the decision, predicting it to be overturned once Everton request a review.

“That’ll get overturned. They’ll review it and get him [Calvert-Lewin] off. The game is gone,” Brazil said via talkSPORT on Friday (5 January).

Ray Parlour agreed with Brazil, raising some important points about the repercussions of the decision if the ban is not lifted: “Everton are down the bottom of the table, and it’s a three-game ban.”

An unforgivable decision

Despite only registering four goals this season, the forward has been vital in the way Sean Dyche has set his team up. His hold-up play has been important for getting Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jack Harrison involved further up the pitch.

Although Everton have a back-up in Beto, he has failed to stamp his mark in the Premier League despite a decent cameo against Crystal Palace on Thursday.

It is likely that Calvert-Lewin’s red card will be overturned, with widespread dumbfoundedness at the decision. However, it raises further concerns about the use of VAR.

Kavanagh was happy for the Everton attack to continue following the striker’s challenge but was only persuaded to hand out the red card after a consultation with VAR.

Once a referee is called over to the pitchside monitor, it normally only means one thing – a change in decision. The intervention of VAR makes referees second-guess themselves, causing far more issues than it is meant to solve.

The unforgivable decision to send off Calvert-Lewin is yet another example of this.

In other Everton news, Barcelona want to sign Toffees ace in ‘Extraordinary’ January transfer.