The forward received a red card following VAR’s recommendation to referee Chris Kavanagh, who then reviewed the pitchside monitor. He made a sliding tackle on Nathaniel Clyne in an attempt to gain possession. Despite appearing to win the ball with minimal contact, Kavanagh showed the red card, surprising the entire Everton bench.
Enraged Everton supporters criticized the decision as disgraceful, with captain Seamus Coleman also condemning VAR’s involvement. “When you slow it down it is obviously going to look bad,” Coleman remarked to ITV. “From where I was it was a good tackle. I saw the replay after and don’t know who the fingers need to be pointed at, as soon as the ref goes over there [to the screen] you know he is going to give a red card. Listen, it has been a big talking point. For me, that is not a red card and it is another decision that goes against us that maybe won’t be talked about as much.”
Former Soccer Saturday presenter and Hartlepool United President Jeff Stelling weighed in: “Seriously a red card for Calvert Lewin? Does anybody honestly believe the game is better for VAR? Makes you weep how the governing bodies/PGMOL are destroying our beloved game.”
This marked Calvert-Lewin’s inaugural career red card in an otherwise uneventful match at Selhurst Park on Thursday. Everton manager Sean Dyche heavily criticized VAR for influencing the red card, arguing that the studs had barely made contact with Clyne’s shin. “‘I haven’t asked Dominic Calvert-Lewin [about the red]. The slow motion shows a different picture,” Dyche explained. “‘If you want to slow-mo everything, you have to slow-mo everything. There could have been a penalty on Beto. There’s minor contact, in live time he doesn’t give anything, then they slow it down and everything looks worse [in] slow [motion].”
‘It seems a bit confused at the moment. I said recently, we had another one, where I said I don’t know who is refereeing which. I am a fan, (but) I definitely think we’re all aware it needs tidying up. I thought it was getting tidied up, and then it seems to have stepped back a bit,” Dyche continued. “I remain a fan at this stage, but it is beginning to test my patience even because I look at the obvious offsides which I think are fair, that should be there, some of the others I’m going well, what’s got a chance now of being let play and what’s got a chance of being called, but we don’t actually know.'”
The club unsurprisingly decided to appeal the decision. If the dismissal isn’t overturned, Calvert-Lewin will miss Everton’s Premier League match against Aston Villa on January 14. The Toffees aim to break a five-game winless streak when facing Villa at Goodison Park.
Red card for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who was just about to be substituted 🔴@Everton are down to 🔟 men. Do you agree with the decision?#ITVFootball | #CRYEVE | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/A8DQ6aBEWF
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 4, 2024
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
EnglandThis season he played in total once for 79 minutes for FA Cup.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn’t score any goal for Everton. He procured no assists. He received no yellow cards and 1 red card.
His team is currently 17th in FA Cup. In the last match Everton drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace. The next match in FA Cup will be against Aston Villa.
