Why wasn't Silva penalised?
[BBC] "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on," David Moyes said after the game. The Everton manager wanted a spot-kick after Merlin Rohl was pulled to the ground by Bernardo Silva at an 85th-minute corner. "I might have to start coaching my defenders how to defend differently completely," Moyes added.
"It looks like now you're able to sort of grapple and wrestle on the ground if you want. "I'm absolutely amazed. " It was checked by Paul Howard, the video assistant referee, but he ultimately decided that the foul took place before the ball was in play.
And you cannot give a free-kick or a penalty if the ball is out. The referee can take disciplinary action, but the restart has to remain the same. Last season, Southampton's Jack Stephens was sent off via a VAR review for pulling the hair of Chelsea's Marc Cucurella when the ball was out.
The game still got under way again with a corner. It is often why you see a lot of the pushing and shoving taking place just before a corner taker delivers the ball into the box. There is no doubt that most of the holding was before the ball was kicked.
But Everton fans argue it was still happening when James Garner kicked the ball, and that VAR should have intervened. The VAR stats show why Everton feel so frustrated. With three rounds to go, they are the only team in the Premier League yet to have an overturn go in their favour.