Shay Given cannot believe Everton footage he was shown vs Arsenal on Match of the Day – ‘Mad’
Everton were beaten by Arsenal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday in what was their second consecutive Premier League defeat.
David Moyes was without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye for the contest, due to a mixture of injuries and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Viktor Gyokeres’ first-half penalty guided Arsenal to a 1-0 win over Everton, with the Gunners returning to the summit of the Premier League as a result.
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given was left bemused by the sequence of events that led to the decisive penalty kick.
David Moyes confused by Everton and Jake O’Brien
The Toffees had managed to keep Arsenal at bay in the opening stages of the game, limiting Mikel Arteta’s side to half-chances.
However, as the contest neared the half-hour mark, Jake O’Brien was penalised for a handball in the Everton box.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice swung in a deep corner, with the ball striking O’Brien’s hand above his head at the back post.
After a VAR check, referee Sam Barrott pointed to the penalty spot, and Gyokeres made no mistake from 12 yards.
Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, Given highlighted the moment of madness from O’Brien.
He said: “The corner comes in, and you see we have circled Jake around the back again, and he just jumps with Calafiori. Even David Moyes, his own manager, said, ‘I don’t know what he’s thinking’.
“I don’t know if he thinks he’s playing Gaelic football back in Ireland. He’s jumped up with two hands in the air, he gets a touch on it, it’s a mad moment from Jake, to be fair. It’s a clear penalty and the right decision.”
Everton on wrong end of second decision vs Arsenal
Later in the game, with the score still at 1-0, Everton thought they should’ve been awarded a penalty of their own.
William Saliba seemed to catch the back of Thierno Barry’s leg in the Arsenal box, as the pair competed for a bouncing ball, but referee Barrott was unmoved.
After replays, the contact was clear.
After an extensive VAR check, the incident was cleared with the Toffees, with those at Stockley Park unbelievably unwilling to overturn the original decision.
Moyes‘ side were ultimately unable to find a way back into the game, meaning Arsenal left the Hill Dickinson Stadium with all three points.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @goodisonnews