James Tarkowski defended over Everton controversy by ex-ref as pundit left baffled
James Tarkowski’s controversial incident in the Everton victory over Nottingham Forest continues to divide opinion.
Everton won 3-0 as former boss Sean Dyche returned with his Forest side on Saturday, as David Moyes’ outfit moved up to sixth in the Premier League.
Thierno Barry scored his first Everton goal and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was again excellent at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the afternoon could have been different if referee Chris Kavanagh had seen an early flashpoint differently involving Tarkowski and Dan Ndoye.
Forest have complained to the PGMOL in writing they are so unhappy that Tarkowski wasn’t sent off.
Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd split over Tarkowski barge
With Everton leading 1-0 thanks to an early Nikola Milenkovic own-goal Toffees centre-back Tarkowski was involved with Ndoye off the ball with play stopped for a throw in.
As the ball went out of play Tarkowski had bumped into Swiss international as he back-pedalled into position, and the forward reacted by giving him a nudge in return.
The Everton man then responded by shoulder barging Ndoye in the back with some force, snapping his head back and sending him to the turf, and ex-England striker Jay Bothroyd is convinced it was worthy of a sending off.
Kavanagh, who was looking in that direction didn’t even book Tarkowski and VAR checked, then cleared, the stance.
Speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch ex-top flight official Dermot Gallagher wasn’t moved, saying it was a bookable offence at worst, but a baffled Bothroyd disagreed.
“When I watched the game, it didn’t leap out to me,” Gallagher said.
“If the referee sees it, it’s a yellow card – it never crosses my mind for it to be a red card.”
But Bothroyd said: “I think it is a red card because the ball has not gone to him yet, he’s gone behind him, he’s shoulder checked him in his back, maybe even higher.
“It’s aggressive. He doesn’t need to do it. I don’t know why he’s done it.
“Ultimately, that’s a red card… you can see the way his head jolted back as well.”
First Barry goal makes Everton dangerous
Tarkowski probably has to think himself lucky and might have got away without punishment because it was early in the game.
Otherwise there was so much to like about the weekend’s action for Moyes and his men but the first goal for Barry has to be the best part.
The summer signing has become a popular figure among Everton supporters despite his lack of production in front of goal.
Having had what looked like his first ruled out in the miserable loss to Newcastle two weeks ago his confidence will have now taken a massive boost.
Barry’s teammates should already be on a high after making it four wins in five to shoot up a congested top-flight table.
The loss at home to Newcastle was a major blot in that run but the Toffees have now made clear it was a blip, and if they can now add a confident Barry to the equation at striker they could become a real problem for the teams around them.
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