PGMOL acknowledges mistake in not giving Tarkowski a red card after ‘horrible tackle’ on Mac Allister.
PGMOL Admits Error in Tarkowski’s Challenge on Mac Allister
Liverpool secured victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby, but officiating decisions did little to aid their cause—particularly a controversial moment involving James Tarkowski.
The Everton defender launched into a reckless tackle on Alexis Mac Allister, who was fortunate to escape without serious injury. While Tarkowski later apologized, frustration among fans has been directed more at the officials.
Despite clear replays of the challenge, referee Sam Barrott and VAR official Paul Tierney determined it was only worthy of a yellow card. However, PGMOL has now acknowledged that the correct decision should have been a red.
PGMOL Admits Mistake in Handling Tarkowski Incident
Paul Joyce reports in The Times: “Referees’ chiefs acknowledge Everton’s James Tarkowski should have been red-carded for horror challenge on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister.”
The decision to uphold the initial yellow card was not deemed a “clear and obvious error” by those in the VAR room at Stockley Park, despite multiple available angles.
Premier League Officiating Under Fire Again
This is yet another example of questionable officiating in the Premier League under Howard Webb’s leadership.
Even pundits like Gary Neville, who described the tackle as “horrible” after a single viewing, immediately recognized it as a clear red card offense.
How is it possible that highly paid officials, with access to multiple replays, continue to make such glaring mistakes? While an apology from PGMOL may follow, it does little to change the fact that fans simply want better officiating in the game.
