Sean Dyche said he was “surprised” Demarai Gray had a goal disallowed for a handball against Brentford.
The winger bundled the ball into the back of the net from close range just before half-time but VAR intervened and the effort was ruled out. It led to what would have been a crucial second goal being struck out in a game that Everton were in desperate need of taking three points from.
In the end, despite a tense second half, the Blues clung on for a significant victory in the Premier League relegation battle. But it was made harder by having just Dwight McNeil’s first-minute strike to protect.
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Asked about the decision Dyche, who was left bemused by the failure to award Everton a penalty in the draw at Nottingham Forest last week, said: “I’m surprised purely because of the short distance. I understand the idea of hands not being in the right position when they are given but it looks to me that he is just flinching. I think that is a different thing - he has not pushed his hand towards the ball. I thought it had come off his peck to be honest.
"You like them to go for you. If it went against you you would be disappointed, if it goes for you you would be delighted. I am a fan of VAR. Some of these decisions are difficult. But it comes at him so quick I don’t know what else he is supposed to do and it looks to me like he is just flinching rather than hand to ball and making it go into the goal.”
While Dyche believed Everton’s task should have been made easier by that second goal standing, he did not seek to dwell on the potential implications of the decision. Instead, he raised the chances Everton missed during a dominant first half as the main focus of his concern.
He said: “Let’s have it right. We had other opportunities which we have got to take responsibility for. I’ve said to the players to have the freedom to miss, I have told them that, and they did. But equally they have got to have the moment of clarity to score and I think that is where our side of the game has to improve.
"Once you get that freedom to miss and you are going into the right areas, which we are, we are getting bodies in the right areas, that is improving, but you have got to have that clarity to score a goal and I think we had two or three chances in the first half to really secure the game.”
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