Dermot Gallagher reacts to Ndiaye controversy in Everton win v Brighton
Dermot Gallagher believes Iliman Ndiaye shouldn’t have been booked as Everton beat Brighton 1-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
The former referee feels Tim Robinson didn’t need to show the Senegalese forward a yellow card after he apparently mocked the home fans at the Amex on 25 January.
Ndiaye scored a penalty in the first half and seemed to mimic a Seagull during his celebration.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch (27 January), Gallagher said: “Inciting supporters. They are the Brighton fans, are you inciting them?
“Ndiaye would say it’s a bit of fun, football is there to be enjoyed. Is it necessary? For me, no. But for Robinson, he obviously felt it was.”
Iliman Ndiaye secures three points for Everton v Brighton
While the Brighton fans will undoubtedly be unhappy with the 24-year-old’s actions, the Toffees’ supporters would have relished the moment.
Football needs a bit of banter at times, and it was disappointing to see the referee penalise the Senegal international for his celebration.
Many fans feel that VAR has already taken a lot of fun out of the game, and such decisions only lead to the spectacle becoming more robotic.
Everton have put some distance with the relegation zone after the win at the Amex Stadium and now sit seven points ahead of 18th-place Wolves in the table.
While there’s still a long way to go in the season, Ndiaye’s strike has certainly given the Blues a boost as they look to secure their English top-flight status again.
David Moyes will need the forward to step up in a similar fashion in the coming weeks, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dwight McNeil on the sidelines.
The Senegalese ace is arguably the Merseyside outfit’s best player right now, and they can’t afford to lose him due to silly bookings.
In other Everton news, scouts were present in Scotland as Rangers beat Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
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