‘Where can I go?’: Sky Sports pundits disagree on whether Ipswich should have been awarded a penalty against Everton.
Everton's history with Premier League officials has been mixed, but they owe them thanks after their latest match.
While the decision was ultimately correct, which is the referee’s job, it has still sparked significant debate, especially in comparison to a similar incident in Everton’s previous match before their trip to Ipswich Town.
Even the experts on Sky Sports seem divided on the issue.
Should Ipswich Town have been awarded a penalty against Everton?
This week’s edition of Sky Sports’ Ref Watch might be one that Everton fans can relax over, as they weren’t on the wrong end of any major controversies.
However, Ipswich Town’s potential penalty while the score was 1-0 could have drastically changed the game.
Dermot Gallagher began the discussion by defending the referee’s decision, saying: “This is a carbon copy of Calvert-Lewin and Burn from the other week.
I explained that the attacker caught the defender, and the same thing has happened here.”
On the other hand, Sue Smith, who previously argued that Everton should have had a penalty in the Calvert-Lewin incident against Newcastle, remained firm in her stance: “McNeil puts his leg across Clarke just before he’s about to shoot.
You have to make a case for Ipswich. I think it’s a penalty.”
Stephen Warnock was more uncertain, adding: “I’m not so sure. I think Clarke just stops. McNeil is in that area of, where can I go?”
VAR shows consistency in Premier League officiating
Whether it was a penalty or not, the decision at Portman Road highlights something Premier League fans have long sought: consistency in officiating.
If the penalty had been given on Saturday, it would have been a controversial call, as a near-identical situation occurred just the week before against Newcastle.
In that instance, Dan Burn positioned himself between the ball and the player, causing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to kick the back of his leg, and no penalty was awarded.
While some may still argue that both incidents should have led to penalties, few can deny that VAR has shown consistency in sticking to its previous decisions.
At the very least, teams now have a clearer sense of where they stand when such situations arise.
