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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Adam Jones

Everton hit by worst decision this season as pathetic VAR flaw exposed

This match hinged on one decision, make no mistake. A call that was horribly wrong, and could have wide-ranging implications on Everton's Premier League survival.

You can talk all you want about defensive errors for Brentford's goals at Goodison Park and you'd be absolutely right, to be fair. The Blues could have acted differently in every situation to keep the ball out of the back of the net.

But, they were only on the back foot so heavily because they were reduced to ten men. That's also an indisputable fact of this loss.

PLAYER RATINGS: Salomon Rondon shocking and six more poor vs Brentford

MATCH RECAP: Everton vs Brentford final score, highlights and reaction

For the challenge itself, there's actually little question that Jarrad Branthwaite deserved his marching orders. He's unfortunate, but he is the last man with Ivan Toney running in behind him - a tangle of legs was only every going to go one way.

But that's not where the incredulity for Evertonians lies, oh no. It actually happened at the other end of the pitch just a few seconds before the coming together which really riled up the crowd.

Those leaving Goodison Park on the way home will no doubt turn on their phones and see the screengrab we've all witnessed. They will have spotted it at the time, of course, but the TV angles of the incident are damning for Michael Oliver.

As the referee is stood just a few yards away watching on, Richarlison nearly has his shirt ripped off his back by Kristoffer Ajer as a ball was lofted to the back post. The official witnessed it, and decided that no further action should take place.

In a season that has been full of ridiculous decisions against the Blues, that pretty much tops the lot. It's certainly up there alongside Rodri's handball against Man City.

Everyone in the stadium thought it was a blatant penalty, and there was an expectation that VAR would check the incident when Branthwaite was later sent off. Despite no indication in the stadium, yet again, that did take place - but the explanation borders on the completely ridiculous.

It was deemed that the foul did not meet the criteria for a "clear and obvious" error. However, the belief is that if Oliver had pointed to the spot, then VAR would not have overturned the decision.

That's a crucial call in Everton's fight against the drop, and it was mishandled without any care by a VAR system that has regularly proven itself to be pathetically flawed.

Why does this grey area exist? How can there be a decision which VAR would not intervene regardless of which way the on-field official gave it?

Perhaps it wouldn't stick in the mind as much if Mason Holgate hadn't been pulled up for a foul for an extremely similar incident at the other end of the pitch just a few seconds later. "Consistency" is clearly not a word that officials in this country care much about.

Evertonians can create as much atmosphere as they want, and they certainly did with some incredible scenes outside the stadium once more on Sunday evening. But, when the side is hampered by such shoddy officiating as that - with a baffling explanation to boot - then what are they to do?

Yes they made mistakes later in the game, but they should never been in that position. They were completely in control and should have had the chance to be 2-0 up, never mind reduced to ten men and facing a long fight to try and see out their slender advantage.

That could have been a crucial ten seconds in the relegation fight. It went against Everton, once again.

If these decisions really do even themselves out of over the course of the season then strap yourselves in. The Blues must be on the verge of being awarded a whole host of calls in their favour.

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