After the trials and tribulations of the transfer window, Everton can be content with fifth place, an unbeaten start and five clean sheets in seven games. There will also be relief, for Pro Ref as well as David Moyes, that another controversial call from a video assistant referee did not impede their progress against Ipswich.
Thierno Barry decided a close-fought contest with his fifth goal of the campaign. He should have had a sixth but an offside Brennan Johnson was adjudged to have impacted Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton’s ability to save a ball he made no attempt to save and was nowhere near saving. Unlike last weekend’s Manchester derby, however, referee Stuart Attwell’s decision would not prove decisive. The game turned in Everton’s favour minutes later when Abdul Fatawu received a second yellow card for diving but, having failed to kill off Gary O’Neil’s 10 men, they ended up hanging on. VAR was therefore spared Moyes’s wrath.
