The Everton manager Claims PGMO Unwilling to Clarify Debatable Calls

David Moyes has claimed that the PGMO is hesitant to communicate with managers because a high number of refereeing decisions this season have been hard to justify. The Everton manager said he “half choked” when Fulham were awarded what proved to be a match-winning penalty against Nottingham Forest on Monday.

Lack of Uniformity in Penalty Calls Brought to Light

The Toffees were refused a penalty on Saturday for a comparable incident during their home defeat by Arsenal. Moyes did not criticise the decision at the time but, in light of Fulham’s penalty, believes the lack of consistency of referees can not be ignored.

“It took my breath away last night when I saw the decision given and ours wasn’t,” Moyes commented. “There is a sense that certain clubs get those decisions and other clubs don’t. It appears we are on the latter side of that.”

Previous Cases and Mounting Discontent

Moyes also referenced an earlier incident in the season at Brentford involving Virgil van Dijk which was very comparable. “I think eventually it was given. It is frustrating it wasn’t given on the night and we are reviewing other instances which have been overlooked,” he added.

Communication Breakdown with Referee Chiefs

When asked whether he intended to raise the issue with referee chiefs, Moyes expressed further frustration. “It’s unclear,” he said. “They are not accommodating whatever you want. They don’t want to have a conversation about it really. They might engage, but they don’t want to because they’re finding it probably very difficult to explain things.”

This position from the PGMO highlights a broader problem of openness and accountability in the game’s officiating, according to the long-serving coach.

Olivia Martin
Olivia Martin

A tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital innovation, focusing on emerging technologies and their business applications.