adminEverton supporters have been left debating a controversial VAR decision after Thierno Barry saw a second goal ruled out during Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Ipswich Town.
David Moyes’ side secured all three points at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Barry scoring the only goal of the match after his deflection from James Tarkowski’s effort found the back of the net. The result extended Everton’s unbeaten start and moved them up to fifth in the Premier League table.
However, the Toffees appeared to have doubled their advantage in the 58th minute when Barry headed the ball into the net.
The goal initially appeared to stand, but referee Stuart Attwell was advised to review the incident by VAR. After checking the pitchside monitor, Attwell overturned the decision and awarded Ipswich an indirect free-kick.
The Premier League subsequently provided an explanation through its Match Centre, stating that Brennan Johnson was in an offside position and had interfered with Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton’s ability to make a save.
The explanation has done little to end the debate among Everton supporters, particularly because Walton appeared unlikely to reach the ball.
According to the Premier League’s account of the decision, VAR determined that Johnson was interfering with an opponent while in an offside position before recommending an on-field review. Attwell then concluded that Johnson’s position affected Walton and changed the decision to an indirect free-kick.
The incident has inevitably raised questions about the threshold being used to determine goalkeeper interference.
Despite the controversy, Everton managed to protect their lead and claim another important victory. Ipswich were also reduced to 10 men when Abdul Fatawu was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 67th minute.
Moyes will nevertheless know that his team could have made the afternoon considerably more comfortable. Everton created several opportunities but were unable to add a second goal, leaving them vulnerable until the final whistle.
The disallowed Barry goal therefore became one of the major talking points of the afternoon.
Barry can still take confidence from another productive performance, having now established himself as an important attacking threat for Everton. His first-half strike was enough to secure victory, while his disallowed header demonstrated his continued presence inside the opposition penalty area.
For Everton, the priority will now be maintaining their strong defensive record while becoming more clinical in front of goal.
The Premier League’s explanation has clarified why the goal was overturned, but the reaction from supporters shows that the debate surrounding the decision is unlikely to disappear quickly.
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