Leeds United began their Premier League campaign in fine fashion as they recorded a huge win over Everton. After all the preparations and signings in pre-season, it all looks to have paid off for the Whites.
Leeds started the game like a house on fire, as they took the initiative, pinning Everton back. The visitors barely had answers throughout the game, but the tie became evenly matched as time went on. It took a late penalty to win the game; Anton Stach took a shot, which was deemed to have come off James Tarkowski’s arm.
VAR checked it and the penalty was given. After the game, the Everton captain was furious with the decision. David Moyes also disagreed with the refereeing during the incident.
QUIZ: Can you name these 10 former Leeds United players?
What Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher said about the penalty decision
Credit: Imago
Leeds vs Everton was live on Sky Sports Monday Night Football with former Premier League stars Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville on the panel. And they both had an extensive discussion on the penalty, and how it was determined by the referee:
“The big talking point is is it a handball? I think it is, I think he knows what he’s doing James Tarkowski, and it’s something I would do. The only think I’m thinking is has he lost his bearings? He’s in the middle of the goal but it’s a split-second decision. Obviously it’s not going to cause too much danger, it takes a late deflection and maybe it’s just reflexes.” Carragher said.
Neville also chimed in: “I think it’s definitely a penalty, I think because of the distance it’s travelled. James Tarkowski is the type of defender that feels he needs to get in front of every single shot and what I mean by that is that he maybe could have just composed himself, let that ball go through to Jordan Pickford, who is right behind him and would have saved it. The guilt written all over Tarkowski’s face, he knows it’s a penalty, he’s blocked it from such a distance.”
In the end, both of them in the studio agreed with the VAR in that the incident was rightly called as a penalty.
