Everton’s relationship with Premier League referees has been turbulent over the years, but following their latest fixture, the Toffees may find reason to offer thanks for once.
The outcome of the match hinged on a refereeing call – a correct one, it should be noted – but that hasn’t stopped it from stirring debate.
The spotlight on the incident has grown brighter, especially in light of an earlier contentious decision involving Everton during their clash with Newcastle United.
Even the pundits at Sky Sports appear divided over the situation.
Should Ipswich Town Have Had a Penalty Against Everton?
This week’s edition of Sky Sports’ Ref Watch might be one Evertonians watch with a sense of relief. For once, they emerge from a Premier League encounter without the familiar feeling of having been wronged.
However, the 1-0 scoreline against Ipswich Town could have looked very different if the referee had awarded the home side a penalty. At the centre of the debate is an incident where McNeil’s challenge on Clarke raised eyebrows.
Former referee Dermot Gallagher led the discussion, firmly defending the decision to wave play on.
‘This is a carbon copy of Calvert-Lewin and Burn the other week, when I explained the attacker caught the defender. The same thing has happened,’ Gallagher said, reinforcing his belief that the referee was right to let the game continue.
Sue Smith, however, disagreed, remaining consistent in her assessment that Everton had been denied a penalty for a similar incident against Newcastle.
‘McNeil puts his leg across Clarke before he’s about to shoot. You have to argue for Ipswich there. I think it’s a penalty,’ she said.
Meanwhile, Stephen Warnock took a more cautious stance, expressing doubt about the penalty claim. ‘I’m not so sure. I think he just stops. McNeil is in that vicinity of, where can I go?’ he pondered.
VAR Consistency at Last?
Regardless of the differing opinions, the decision at Portman Road signals a rare but welcome moment of consistency in Premier League officiating.
Had the penalty been awarded against Everton, it would have sparked outrage, given that the same scenario involving Dan Burn and Calvert-Lewin the previous week ended without a spot-kick.
In that instance, Burn positioned himself between the ball and Calvert-Lewin, resulting in the striker kicking Burn’s leg, but the referee chose not to intervene.
While some will continue to argue Ipswich deserved the penalty, few can dispute the value of consistency. Officials appear to have reviewed the Burn-Calvert-Lewin incident and opted to apply the same logic at Ipswich.
If referees maintain this level of uniformity, clubs will at least have clarity on how such decisions will be handled going forward – a long-awaited step towards reducing the frustration that has often plagued Premier League teams and fans alike.