Jamie Carragher was left asking an Everton star ‘what are you thinking’ after seeing a ‘brainless’ incident in Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Newcastle United.
The Toffees welcomed the Toon to Merseyside as Anthony Gordon returned to Everton with his Magpies teammates. It marked the two team’s last fixture before the October break and gave the Blues a chance to go further clear of the relegation zone before the league paused.
But it was seldom the first half that coach Sean Dyche desired, including seeing the VAR rule out a goal by Abdoulaye Doucoure for offside. VAR Chris Kavanagh was even back in the ear of Craig Pawson advising the referee to review a penalty which Gordon would go on to miss.
Jamie Carragher left questioning James Tarkowski over Newcastle United’s penalty
Pawson, ultimately, pointed to the spot after sharing Kavanagh’s view that Everton defender James Tarkowski had fouled Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali. The review at the pitchside monitor showed the 31-year-old had hauled the Italian to the ground before a Toon corner.
Tarkowski left Pawson with little choice but to award Newcastle a penalty and Gordon tried to score against his old team, Everton. But the Toffees’ academy graduate failed to find the back of the net as Jordan Pickford got down quickly to his left-hand side to save a tame try.
Pickford’s save from Gordon’s penalty failed to save Tarkowski from Carragher’s criticism as the Liverpool icon slammed the Everton ace for a ‘brainless’ incident that could have gifted Newcastle a goal. Carragher had absolutely no doubt it was a penalty of Tarkowski’s making.
“There’s no doubt that is a foul,” Carragher said on Sky Sports Main Event (05/10, 18:01). “It’s absolutely ridiculous for a player so experienced. He’s shaking his head but he knows. James Tarkowski, what are you thinking? Absolutely brainless.”
James Tarkowski owes Jordan Pickford a big thanks for denying Anthony Gordon
Tarkowski owes Pickford a big amount of gratitude for saving his blushes by saving Gordon’s penalty on the Newcastle man’s latest return to Everton. It would have made the ‘brainless’ incident even more unbearable for Blues supporters had Gordon punished a needless error.
The mistake coming from Tarkowski would have also infuriated Dyche for the same reason it frustrated Carragher. The Manchester-born enforcer turns 32 years old on November 19 and was making his 277th career Premier League appearance, of which 83 have been at Everton.
Dyche has even given Tarkowski the captain’s armband in all but one of Everton’s first seven Premier League games this season. Yet the two-time England international did not show any leadership skills by hauling Tonali to the floor and gifting Newcastle a chance to take a lead.
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