adminEverton fans have been left frustrated after the Premier League provided an explanation for the controversial decision to disallow Thierno Barry’s second goal against Ipswich Town.
David Moyes’ side secured a 1-0 victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, September 19, but the result was overshadowed by a contentious VAR decision that denied Barry what appeared to be a second goal.
Barry had already given Everton the lead in the first half when James Tarkowski’s long-range effort deflected off the striker and found its way into the Ipswich net. The French forward later thought he had doubled Everton’s advantage with a superb header from a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall corner.
However, VAR intervened after determining that Brennan Johnson had been in an offside position and had interfered with Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton. Referee Stuart Attwell subsequently reviewed the incident before overturning the goal.
The decision immediately generated debate among Everton supporters, particularly because Walton appeared unlikely to have stopped Barry’s header even without Johnson in the area.
Sky Sports reported that the VAR decision was controversial, while analyst Sue Smith argued that Johnson’s position should not have prevented the goal because the goalkeeper had no realistic chance of making the save.
The Premier League has now published its Matchweek 5 VAR explanations, as part of its regular Match Centre updates on significant VAR interventions.
The controversy has also prompted questions about consistency. Everton manager David Moyes admitted that he was unsure whether similar incidents would be treated in the same manner throughout the season.
That concern is particularly significant because the Premier League has been placing greater emphasis on explaining major refereeing and VAR decisions during the 2026/27 campaign.
The decision did not ultimately cost Everton any points, with Barry’s first-half goal proving enough to secure victory. The Toffees also benefited from Ipswich being reduced to 10 men after Abdul Fatawu received a second yellow card for simulation.
Nevertheless, Everton supporters are continuing to question why Barry’s second effort was ruled out when Walton appeared to have little chance of reaching the header.
Everton’s victory extended their unbeaten start to the season and moved Moyes’ team up to fifth place, making the result another positive step for the club despite the controversy surrounding the disallowed goal.
For Barry, the decision meant he had to settle for one goal instead of two, while Everton left the stadium with three points and another clean sheet.
The incident is likely to remain a talking point during the international break, particularly as supporters continue to demand greater clarity and consistency in how similar offside-interference situations are judged.
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