Sean Dyche reacts to yet more Everton controversy in Premier League
Everton manager Sean Dyche said it was funny that a “really obvious” late handball decision wasn’t given in the 2-1 loss to Arsenal on 19 May.
Dyche was speaking after Kai Havertz’s 89th-minute goal had given Arsenal a 2-1 victory over Everton at the Emirates, which involved Gabriel Jesus appearing to strike the ball with his arm in the build-up.
Havertz’s late strike wasn’t enough to win the Premier League for Arsenal after Manchester City defeated West Ham in their corresponding match, but Dyche questioned if the goal was only allowed to stand in a bid to keep the title race alive.
In quotes reported by the Liverpool Echo, Dyche said: “That for me is a really obvious one, they go over to the monitor – funny how it is in a title race and it goes the other way.
“It is a difficult one to argue against. It’s handball dead into his path, he runs through and they score from it. That one for me has got to be given.”
Everton in Premier League controversy again
Dyche’s suggestion that his Everton side were victims of title race-related drama doesn’t take away from a spirited performance from the Toffees, who otherwise looked set to hold on for a well-deserved point at Arsenal.
Idrissa Gueye continued his strong run of scoring form at the end of this season by netting the opener five minutes before half-time, but Arsenal were level within moments through Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The Toffees gave as good as they got for much of the second half to end the season with a strong showing, but work for the new campaign must start as soon as possible.
There’s arguably more work to be done at Everton than any other club, with several players out of contract, others linked with big-money moves away, and limited funds to bring in suitable replacements.
That’s all clouded by the club’s ongoing prospective of a takeover, which will hopefully conclude now that the playing side of things has been sewn up.
Dyche could have a whole host of new faces to work alongside by the time August rolls around, with the playing squad expected to change massively and a potential clean sweep of the club’s boardroom.
Everton overcame the uncertainty of Premier League relegation with a sensational run of form to end the campaign, but that uncertainty isn’t going away anytime soon for Dyche and the embattled Blues faithful.
In other Everton news, Seamus Coleman has ruled out taking on a new role at Goodison Park following a contract update
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