Andy Burnham slammed over Everton post as part in Man United project questioned
Andy Burnham was very vocal about decisions that went against Everton in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Wolves.
Michael Keane was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair and Jack Grealish was given a second yellow for sarcastically clapping referee Tom Kirk.
Everton intend to appeal Keane’s suspension, which will see him miss the Toffees’ next three games as things stand as it is deemed violent conduct.
David Moyes was raging over the Grealish red at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but that cannot be appealed due to it being two yellow cards.
Nine-man Everton were plugged back in a 1-1 draw with Wolves, seeing them drop points to the division’s worst side on home soil, and the fallout will continue for a while longer yet.
Andy Burnham ‘despairs about Premier League football’
Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is often vocal about Everton on social media.
Ironically, Burnham also slammed the officials against Wolves last year when Everton once again drew 1-1.
Burnham was not happy with what he saw in this most recent encounter, posting on social media: “I am 56 today. And admittedly a little old school when it comes to football.
“But no one will ever convince me that a minor hair-pull and a sarcastic clap is enough [to] reduce a team to nine men. I despair about Premier League football.”
Those comments did not go down well with everyone, however, with journalist Andy Dunn questioning whether Burnham is the right man to oversee Manchester United’s new stadium project.
“Firstly, a hairpull is a hairpull,” Dunn wrote in his column in Friday’s print edition of The Mirror.
“And even if Michael Keane did fall foul of a very harsh directive, referees are clearly under orders to punish hairpulling with a red card.
“Secondly, the sarcastic clap is a horrible little offence that kids will feel empowered to replicate. And it was Jack Grealish’s second show of dissent within a few moments.
“And finally, as for the Mayor of Manchester being in ‘despair about Premier League football’, then maybe he should not be leading the project to spend millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on facilitating a new stadium for Manchester United.“
Burnham will be involved in the mega-money project given his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
What are Everton’s chances of overturning Michael Keane red card?
Keane will miss Everton’s games with Sunderland, Aston Villa and Leeds United – the first of those in the FA Cup third round this weekend.
Kirk will feel justified in his decision to dismiss Keane, but Everton clearly feel the inexperienced official got the decision wrong.
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| 21 | 8 | 5 | 8 |
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News this week, former Premier League ref Keith Hackett said there is a chance the appeal could be won.
“In law, it’s a straight red. However, the appeal might be made in the understanding that excessive force was not used when the hair was grabbed. It’s a lottery,” he said.
Everton will now sit back and wait in the hope the panel see sense and decide it is not worthy of a ban.
And as for Burnham, there is absolutely no reason why he should not be able to vent his fury on football matters as long as it does not cross the line, which it clearly didn’t in this case.