Sean Dyche speaks after Everton’s 0-0 draw against Newcastle at Goodison Park
Sean Dyche branded the failure to award Everton a penalty after Dominic Calvert-Lewin appeared to be bundled over as “bizarre”. The forward went to ground as he attempted to reach the rebound after Nick Pope had denied him from close range.
The incident sparked calls for a penalty within home stands already fuelled by a sense of injustice having seen VAR intervene for Newcastle United to be awarded a penalty and for Abdoulaye Doucoure to have a goal disallowed for offside.
Unlike with Newcastle’s spot kick – which was saved by Jordan Pickford – referee Craig Pawson was not sent to the pitchside monitor to review his original decision. It was later explained that officials did check replays but concluded Calvert-Lewin had kicked the back of Burn’s leg.
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Dyche disputed this and cited it as the latest example of his side being treated harshly. It would have given Calvert-Lewin the chance to break the deadlock and give Everton the opportunity to secure a vital three points in a game that went on to finish goalless.
After the match, Dyche said: “I think it is a bizarre one…The thing I can’t work out is you see so many weak penalties and then you see that. He (Calvert-Lewin) has clearly tried to strike the ball at goal and their lad, I don’t think he can reach it, he interrupts him striking it at goal. And they don’t even look at it. At least have a look at it.
“I don’t know where it is with penalties. I know our record is awful, we don’t get them. If that is in the middle of the pitch, everyone in the stadium thinks it is a foul.
“So then why isn’t it a penalty? There will be some technical reason, whenever we ask the question the powers that be always give us a technical reason. But it’s alright when you tap someone on the shoulder and their legs buckle. Who knows? We can’t get penalties.”