All the latest Everton FC news as Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd react to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s controversial yellow card against Liverpool
Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd have clashed over whether Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should have been cautioned during the Merseyside Derby. Everton almost salvaged a draw at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, with Idrissa Gueye halving Liverpool’s lead in the second half.
As the Toffees pushed for an equaliser in the final quarter of an hour, Dewsbury-Hall was controversially booked by Darren England. The on-field referee raised eyebrows across the country when he denied Everton the opportunity to take a quick free-kick and catch the Reds off guard.
To the dismay of David Moyes on the sideline, England pulled back play and showed the 27-year-old midfielder a yellow card. After the game, Jack Grealish confronted the official to ask why Dewsbury-Hall was booked.
READ MORE: Wayne Rooney responds to Jack Grealish referee rant after Liverpool vs EvertonREAD MORE: James Tarkowski insists Everton are determined to silence Liverpool fans’ chant – ‘It’s massive’
Rather than offer an explanation, England turned his nose up at the Manchester City loanee and brandished another yellow card. In an interview with TNT Sports, Grealish claimed he had never seen anything like it.
Dewsbury-Hall was just as confused as his teammates. After the game, he reflected on the result on his Instagram story: “Spirited performance 2nd half but ultimately disappointing result. Quick turnaround to put it right Tuesday. Amazing support [blue heart emoji]. Let’s not talk about that yellow…”
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch show on Monday morning, Bothroyd described the incident as ‘crazy’ and ‘one of the worst decisions’ of the weekend. The former Premier League striker said: “I think it is crazy, to be honest.
“I think the referee should have got a yellow card for this decision, to be honest. There’s a foul there; now the ball is being put down in the same spot pretty much. I think the problem the referee has here is that he has walked away: he is not facing the play.
“Me and Dermot spoke about this off-air. The only thing I can think of is to wait for the whistle. But then I look at that and say, ‘Why can’t you take a quick free kick?’ It’s on the halfway line, pretty much.
“It was a poor decision, probably one of the worst decisions I’ve seen this weekend,” added Bothroyd. Gallagher conceded that England may have been wrong to caution Dewsbury-Hall, but he questioned why the incident has become a topic of conversation.
“I think this shows how forensic we are now,” said the former Premier League referee. “We have seen a game of such intensity, and we talk about a too-quickly taken free kick and a yellow card.
“I am not sure it was a yellow card, but I am not sure what Darren said to him. That’s what we have got to remember. It’s interesting because we looked at where the free kick was and where they were set up.
“It’s just one of those we are talking about for the wrong reasons.”
The yellow card was just one of a few controversial calls at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. Despite a goal, numerous stoppages and substitutions in the second half, the fourth official, Robert Madley, only signalled for a minimum of three additional minutes at the end of the game.