Gary Lineker agrees controversial Craig Pawson decision correct in Everton defeat v Liverpool
Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both agreed that Everton full-back Ashley Young’s first yellow card was the correct decision from Craig Pawson.
Speaking on BBC Match Of The Day (21 October), Richards described Young’s 18th-minute challenge on Liverpool’s Luis Diaz as “cynical” before he saw a second yellow in the Merseyside derby.
Everton suffered yet another derby defeat in a 2-0 loss at Anfield, but Young’s first-half departure had the Toffees on the back foot.
Richards said: “I believe this one with Ashley Young is a yellow card.”
Lineker responded: “Definitely.”
Richards continued: “It is cynical, he’s put his leg out there. I feel we all agree that that’s a yellow card.”
Subscribe to Football Insider TV no
Poor
Young hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory since his free move to Goodison Park, but undoubtedly his experience has helped behind the scenes.
However, his needless challenges changed the tempo of the match and slashed any chances of Sean Dyche leaving Anfield with
Diaz had plenty of ground to cover before he became a goal threat to Everton, so Young’s poor tackle on the forward was unnecessary. Perhaps the pressure of his first Merseyside derby got to the veteran, but with his wealth of experience, this seems unlikely.
What is true is that Young’s dismissal totally changed Dyche’s plans for the rest of the game. With 10 men, the Toffees just had to soak up all the pressure and hope for a good counter-attacking chance. This chance never came, and neither Dominic Calvert-Lewit nor substitutes Beto and Youssef Chermiti had many opportunities to change the scoreboard.
Pawson’s decision to give Young the second yellow card was perhaps slightly more contentious, but Young will have no excuses.
In other Everton news, Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand could not believe what a Toffees player did against Liverpool.
