Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Tue 7 October 2025 7:40, UK

Everton have entered the season’s second international break in the best possible way, after departing on a win.

Jack Grealish‘s last-minute winner saw Everton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Sunday, in what was a raucous day at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Toffees had faced an onslaught on their goal in the first half, and went behind through Daniel Munoz before Iliman Ndiaye equalised from the spot.

Everton are unbeaten in their first four Premier League games at home for the first time since 2016, in a great start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

And following the latest result, Everton are predicted to match their best league finish since the 2020-21 season.

Peter Crouch laughs at absurd yellow card

Refereeing has been a controversial topic across several Everton games this season.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was given a yellow card for winning the ball against West Ham, earning himself a one-match suspension for accumulating five bookings already this season.

The midfielder had taken to social media to call out the referee after the game, following a decision that had been even more ridiculous earlier in the month.

As Everton chased the game at Anfield, Dewsbury-Hall had looked to take a quick free-kick, but referee Darren England was clearly not ready.

Instead of simply asking the former Leicester City man to take the kick again, the official inexplicably booked him – prompting outrage among Everton fans and players alike.

But on Sunday, it was an opposition player who was on the end of a bizarre refereeing decision.

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton had slid in to tackle Idrissa Gueye and made clean contact with the ball, with the Everton man stepping and falling over his challenger’s torso.

The tackle appeared absolutely clean, but Andrew Kitchen still blew his whistle and brought out his yellow card, which some Everton fans even disagreed with.

Peter Crouch reacted on social media on Monday, and added a laughing face and a shocked emoji when he wrote: “Booked”.

• Read more: Howard Webb should be ashamed after ‘terrible’ Everton decision admission

Premier League referees continue to dismay

The phrase – “the game is gone” – is usually parroted around, even in the most ridiculous of situations.

But in this case, it seems apt. Football is, of course, a contact sport, and both Wharton and Dewsbury-Hall have recently been booked for applying, what should be, the right amount of contact when winning the ball.

Premier League referees are already under huge scrutiny, and that pressure will not release as long as they keep making odd decisions.

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