Everton have every right to walk away from Sunday’s clash feeling aggrieved, but more with themselves than anything else.
All the conditions were in place for a famous victory, with Goodison Park in full voice and creating the perfect atmosphere to both quell the visitors and spur on those in royal blue.
However, it would devolve into a trend that has been far too common this campaign, with a lack of proficiency proving catastrophic and a key factor in losing vital points.
Manchester United had that cutting edge, and despite hardly playing well, ran out 3-0 winners.
Despite being victims of their own profligacy, there was one moment which Sean Dyche felt altered the game significantly that was contentious. As the Toffees pushed for an equaliser, an incisive break saw Anthony Martial burst into the box and go sprawling over Ashley Young’s outstretched leg.
Whilst initially booked for simulation, a VAR review deemed it to be an offence worthy of a foul, and a penalty was given.
What did Sean Dyche say about VAR in Everton’s loss to Manchester United?
Speaking after the match, the 52-year-old Everton boss was left disappointed with the officials and how their conduct kills the sport for spectators. He noted: ‘Seriously, I will be trying to speak to them and go: ‘Right, OK, what is it (a clear and obvious error)?’ We were told, as you know, that the directive was that we are going to give referees more power.
‘The referee made a very strong decision and then, of course, the power is taken away. I have no clue, I’ll just have to ring the powers that be and say: ‘Can you explain to me again, I have asked like all managers do, what is an actual clear and obvious error and why’ and all the rest of it.
‘You can debate them all you want because everyone will decide one way or the other. For me, the idea of VAR is they look for contact and that’s not the idea it should be, in my opinion. The referee made a solid decision, I thought, it was meant to be they’re giving the referee the power then they say there’s contact. You can find contact in every position. It’s a tough one to call. If it went against us, would I be disappointed? No. I’d probably see why that wasn’t given as a penalty.’
Should the Premier League scrap VAR?
In a sport where the stakes are so high and the funding is so vast, it almost feels like that now VAR is here, it cannot be taken away.
Were a team to get relegated by an offside that was incorrectly given, or a side claimed the title based on a penalty decision missed, the ramifications, and subsequent outrage, would be catastrophic.
The Premier League cannot handle that level of scrutiny, even if the current model seemingly receives it with each passing week.
Serious modifications are needed to ensure that a clear set of guidelines are in place, and yet there must be a certain element of common sense with each decision being unique.
The people operating these machines continue to make error after error, thus making a mockery of technology that is used to near-perfection by Rugby Union, for example.
However, it is already too far down the line now to scrap it completely.
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