David Moyes, Everton's manager, criticized the Premier League's refereeing standards, comparing Gabriel Martinelli's case to Michael Keane's heavy punishment.
On 10 Jan 2025 GMT+7, David Moyes criticized Premier League refereeing for inconsistent standards, noting that Michael Keane was sent off while Hwang Hee-chan and Gabriel Martinelli were not shown red cards.
Michael Keane was recently sent off in Everton's 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers after the VAR team judged that he pulled the hair of Wolves' forward Tolú Arokodare.
What angered Moyes more was when Hwang Hee-chan of Wolves fouled Harrison Armstrong, but the same referee team did not review the incident with VAR, even though slow-motion TV footage showed the Wolves forward stamping studs on the 18-year-old's calf, allowing Hwang to avoid a red card.
In the Arsenal vs Liverpool match, Martinelli threw the ball at Conor Bradley, Liverpool's right-back, who was lying injured and bent over, trying to push him off the field, believing Bradley was feigning injury to waste time. The referee issued only a yellow card for this incident.
David Moyes said, “I was very surprised they did not overturn that decision. What Michael Keane did earned him a red card and a three-match ban because it was deemed violent conduct. But the incident with Armstrong was treated as minor in the game and was not reviewed by VAR or the referee, who simply let it go.”
“We have recently seen games where throwing the ball at others, pushing, and lifting people when seriously injured are accepted, but if someone accidentally pulls my hair, they get a three-game ban. For me, that’s unbelievable. I feel ashamed for those officiating in the VAR system.”