Everton manager David Moyes has openly questioned the quality of officiating in the Premier League after his side’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Leeds United on the opening weekend of the season. A late penalty, converted by debutant Lukas Nmecha, proved decisive at Elland Road, but the circumstances surrounding the spot-kick left Moyes frustrated.
The crucial moment came when James Tarkowski was judged to have handled the ball inside the box. After a VAR review, the referee upheld the penalty decision, a call Moyes strongly disagreed with. “It’s not a penalty,” the Everton boss insisted, pointing out that Tarkowski’s arm was down by his side and that the ball had deflected before striking him. For Moyes, the interpretation of the handball rule was once again inconsistent.
He drew comparisons with a similar incident in another weekend fixture, where a clearer case of handball went unpunished. “We saw one on Friday night that wasn’t given, which looked far more obvious,” he said, stressing that his team had been unfairly treated.
Beyond his own team’s setback, Moyes expressed broader concerns about the standard of refereeing across the league. He argued that there had been multiple questionable calls in the opening round of fixtures, and that this inconsistency risked undermining the credibility of the competition. His comments reflect a growing frustration among managers and supporters who feel the introduction of VAR has not eliminated, but instead highlighted, the subjectivity of refereeing decisions.
Despite his grievances, Moyes admitted Everton had not done enough to win the match, acknowledging that his side must improve in the coming weeks. He also urged patience regarding new signing Jack Grealish, who featured for just 19 minutes off the bench. Moyes emphasised the need to carefully manage the midfielder’s fitness and expectations, noting that Grealish has struggled with consistent playing time in recent years.
Everton now face the challenge of regrouping quickly as they look to bounce back from the setback. For Moyes, however, the bigger concern is whether refereeing standards will improve as the season progresses. His remarks underline the pressure on officials to deliver greater consistency, with the spotlight already on their performance after just one weekend of action.
