Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has hit out at the decision not to award him a penalty against Newcastle United
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has lamented: “I don’t know what more you have to do to get a penalty,” after he was denied a spot-kick against Newcastle United. Despite ardent claims from the Blues players after their number nine went down in the area following a challenge from Dan Burn, their complaints fell on deaf ears with referee Craig Pawson while the big screen at Goodison Park, relayed the following message from Stockley Park: “The referee’s call of no penalty for the challenge between Calvert-Lewin and Burn is checked and confirmed by the VAR, deeming Calvert-Lewin kicked the back of Burn’s leg.”
Everton have yet to be awarded a penalty this season with Calvert-Lewin also denied on the opening day against Brighton & Hove Albion despite Simon Hooper initially pointing to the spot following a challenge from Lewis Dunk. The referee then overturned his original call after viewing the pitchside monitor at Goodison Park with the Premier League Match Centre stating: “The referee awarded a penalty to Everton for a foul by Dunk on Calvert-Lewin. The VAR recommended an on-field review as he deemed Calvert-Lewin’s foot landed on Dunk’s foot and there was no foul.”
With Everton not awarded a penalty until their 27th Premier League game last season (ironically by Pawson, but after a VAR check when he failed to spot Kurt Zouma’s handball in real time), while every other team awarded at least one spot-kick (Chelsea and Arsenal had eight apiece; Liverpool had seven; Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United had five; West Ham United, Luton Town, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa had four; Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford had three; and Fulham had two) with some 73 given in total before Sean Dyche’s men got their first, the Blues can feel particularly aggrieved on the matter.
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Calvert-Lewin told evertontv: “I think everyone can make their own mind up when they see it back. I’ve seen it back and I don’t know what more you have to do to get a penalty.
“I’m about to put the ball in the back of the net and obviously he’s obstructing me. It’s frustrating and like I say, those things over the course of a season hopefully pay you back and I didn’t get the one here but hopefully I get the next one.”
The goalless draw marked Everton’s first Premier League clean sheet of the season and as the team go into the international break on the back of a three-match unbeaten run, Calvert-Lewin believes they have turned a corner. He said: “It was a tough shift and a good performance from the lads. I think maybe on another night we could take all three points.
“I think if some decisions went our way, which they didn’t on the evening, but that’s the way it goes in football. It pays you back in the end, but all round, it was a good performance. “It’s a hard-earned point. I think we’ve definitely turned a corner from the past three games. I think we showed that tonight – the resilience and the character to stay in the game and keep working for each other. I think on the ball maybe we can be a little bit better; a bit more decisive in the final third and I think that’s the next thing, the next stage. “It’s a point and a point to build on. We’ve picked up points in the last three games and that’s the positive. So, I think we rest and recover and do the work in the international break, ready to go again.”
Calvert-Lewin has started all seven of Everton’s Premier League matches so far and scored twice. Having turned out 39 times in all competitions last season after what he described as a “factory reset” with his fitness under Dyche, the 27-year-old believes he remains in top condition.
He said: “Physically, mentally I feel very good. “I’m in great shape and I back myself to keep putting in good performances and keep scoring more goals, I’m happy with where I’m at the moment. “Like any centre-forward I want to be in the back of the net regularly so that’s on the agenda. But I think from the start of the season I feel like I’ve started well and I’m looking forward to keep building on it.”