Everton were narrowly beaten on Saturday, and after a spirited performance against Manchester City, it was an Erling Haaland brace that proved to be the difference.
The Norwegian, who had only recently returned from injury, was largely kept silent throughout a match in which the hosts pushed and pushed but could not breach Sean Dyche’s resolute outfit.
In the end, it was a bobbling ball from a corner that was lashed home by the 23-year-old, and once they had taken the lead, there only ever really felt like one outcome.
However, James Tarkowski has since taken issue with that key moment, lambasting the officials for one decision they made.
What James Tarkowski said about the Manchester City game
Just before Julian Alvarez’s game-deciding delivery caused the penalty box scramble that led to the opener, he had just swung in a first corner.
Met by Ruben Dias, the ball ballooned behind, and much to the bemusement of those in salmon shirts, a second corner was given.
This proved decisive.
Well, speaking in his post-match interview for TNT Sports, the £100k-a-week titan has sought to give his verdict on the controversial flashpoint which changed the game.
He claimed: ‘Disappointed. I thought we played really well, kept them to very little, I’ve just been told that the goal was the first shot on target they’d had so it shows how well we were playing at the time.
‘I think the corner that they actually get is a bit dubious, I still believe it’s a goal kick and not a corner. Once again something goes against this club so that disappoints and frustrates us, and then it’s about trying to stay in the game and I thought we really got into the game in the 80th minute.’
Were Everton unlucky against Manchester City?
Well, on the balance of play, it is hard to suggest that Everton were unlucky.
The Toffees never really made any hugely concerted effort to trouble the treble-winners, but given the gulf in class and financial power between the two, that is no slight on Dyche’s tactics.
Especially with everything else up against them, including injuries and the manager’s touchline ban, which only added to the insurmountable task that lay before them at the Etihad yesterday lunchtime.
In the end, the visitors managed a sole shot on target, and boasted just 27% of the ball, via Sofascore.
However, as Tarkowski noted, their defending remained staunch, and it is frustrating to see that they conceded from two of the only three shots on target they conceded.
Also his second point, about the dubious corner, is certainly one worth debating.
After all, it did look questionable that a second set piece was given despite Dias clearly winning the first contact initially, and the ball flyinh behind Jordan Pickford’s goal. It is unlikely that an Everton player could have sent it in such a trajectory.
But, VAR does not check those sorts of minor details, and if the Portuguese defender did get the last touch then they would never tell.
As such, controversy will remain, which would lend to the case that Everton were unlucky after such a solid showing up until that point.
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