‘In the end…’ – Sky Sports duo agree over refereeing decision in last-gasp Liverpool victory

The former top-flight whistler observed: “They’re side by side. It’s a coming together. In the end he is just too strong for him.”

Jay Bothroyd was in studio alongside Gallagher and he took a similar view of the incident, saying: “I don’t think it’s a penalty. The difference with it is that when you see Curtis Jones come into it, it is shoulder to shoulder. He’s just used his strength…This is shoulder to shoulder.”

Image via Sky Sports

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Liverpool rejoice as Everton fume

Moyes had already complained in the lead-up to the match that Liverpool apparently get ‘all the decisions’ in fixtures such as this, and naturally he felt that Jones had fouled Dewsbury-Hall in that coming together in the opening quarter-hour yesterday.

In truth, it was nothing more than a shoulder-to-shoulder and would’ve been an incredibly soft penalty had it been awarded. That isn’t just our view, either – impartial Sky Sports co-commentator Chris Sutton felt that there was ‘insufficient contact’ and that the Everton man ‘was looking to go down’.

The Toffees were on the wrong end of another decision when Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half goal was ruled out after a VAR review as Jake O’Brien (who provided the ‘assist’) was offside in the build-up, with replays showing that the correct call was also made in that instance.

Between those ‘what-if’ moments and Virgil van Dijk’s 100th-minute winner, it was undoubtedly a galling afternoon for Evertonians, but everyone associated with Liverpool will simply be revelling in the afterglow of a hard-earned victory which puts us well on track for Champions League qualification.