Marco Silva has admitted his frustration and confusion over VAR’s decision to hand Brighton a late penalty against Everton.
Everton were 2-1 up against the Seagulls at the Amex with ten minutes left on the clock, before Michael Keane was adjudged to have fouled Aaron Connolly in the box.
While referee Andy Madley waved away penalty claims, Lee Mason reviewed the call for VAR and decided to award the spot-kick, the first time VAR has overruled a referee in the Premier League.
Neal Maupay dispatched from the spot, and Brighton found a winner through a Lucas Digne own goal deep into additional time, time added on due to the VAR delay.
Talking after the game (via Liverpool Echo), Everton boss Silva was obviously frustrated, but the Portuguese coach was more confused by VAR’s reasoning behind their decision. Silva said:
It is difficult for them to give some explanations because, first, they didn’t see. They didn’t see. The information the referee gave straight to Michael and Jordan was: ‘nothing’.
What explanation can they give? They found one touch with the feet, when the ball goes out. It is important to understand – because the VAR can help and can be a good thing in football – what way is the VAR going? Because VAR, they are the same people watching the game on TV and are here to help the referee, but why 15 minutes before did they not see the penalty on Richarlison? They are there.
Everyone makes mistakes in football, it was a tough game for the referee as well, but why? Why? They are watching the game on TV, why didn’t they see the player pull, with two hands, on Richarlison. It is a clear penalty.
Last week we scored a clear goal and they didn’t give time for the VAR to check. It is difficult for us to understand.
Silva did also claim that his players were at fault for Brighton’s winner, with the players switching off late on. The former Watford boss continued:
We cannot concede a goal in the 94th minute, on the counter attack, when you are playing away from home. But that decision, and why that decision happened, is really difficult for us to understand.
Fifteen minutes before that decision was a clear penalty for us on Richarlison and the VAR didn’t see nothing.
Read Everton Verdict
Silva is dead right about VAR, in that it doesn’t work unless every instance is governed the same. Having two opinions officiating the game, with the latter and seemingly more important only picking and choosing when to check, that is a corrupted system.
Whether Keane’s tackle on Connolly was a penalty or not, Everton have been slighted because VAR didn’t even check Richarlison’s incident, penalty or not. VAR have to check every time, or not at all.
Silva now faces a mountain to climb in order to keep his job and while it wasn’t entirely his fault this time around, he still has to take some of the responsibility.
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