VAR provides explanation for James Tarkowski’s disallowed goal in Everton vs Wolves clash

Sean Dyche’s side started the first half brilliantly against Wolves, pressing high and exposing vulnerabilities in the opposition’s defense, particularly with Craig Dawson struggling at the back.

Ashley Young opened the scoring with a well-taken free kick, exploiting a poorly set wall by Jose Sa as the ball curled around the outside man.

Orel Mangala doubled the lead just past the half-hour mark, giving Everton a strong advantage.

Desperately needing three points to climb out of the relegation zone, Everton knew a loss would drop them into the bottom three.

Their situation could have been even better if not for VAR ruling out a goal by James Tarkowski.

VAR Explanation for James Tarkowski’s Disallowed Goal

Tarkowski headed home a free kick from Dwight McNeil, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside ruling in the build-up.

Orel Mangala was spotted holding Mario Lemina as Lemina attempted to drop into the area where the ball was heading.

Additionally, Mangala was offside when the ball was played.

A statement from the Premier League match center on X explained the decision:

“Tarkowski’s goal was initially awarded on-field. VAR checked that Mangala was in an offside position and interfered with an opponent, recommending an on-field review.

The referee overturned his original decision, and the goal was disallowed.”

Was It the Right Decision?

The ruling is subjective, as such decisions often are.

According to the letter of the law, it was offside because Mangala directly impacted Lemina’s ability to defend the corner by holding him.

However, the call felt harsh to some, as there’s no guarantee Lemina would have reached the ball or played a decisive role in preventing the goal.

Such calls are contentious but not uncommon, as similar decisions are occasionally made.