Everton vs West Ham ref watch: Three decisions Samuel Barrott got wrong
Everton and West Ham played out a 1-1 draw that was full of action and some controversy involving match referee Samuel Barrott at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton quickly seized the initiative against their struggling opponents as an unmarked Michael Keane headed James Garner’s cross home in the 18th minute to make it 1-0.
A lack of goalmouth action in the rest of the first-half saw the hosts came out of the blocks quickly in the second period as Jake O’Brien and Idrissa Gueye both went close but saw their strikes blaze over the crossbar.
West Ham then came back into it in Nuno Espirito Santo’s first game since being appointed after Graham Potter’s sacking, and Jarrod Bowen found the net for the visitors just after the hour mark with a fine strike past Jordan Pickford as it eventually finished 1-1.
Match referee Sam Barrott kept players on both sides in line throughout a hotly-contested clash, but he also got a number of decisions wrong, and Football Insider have picked out three that should have gone a different way.
Soungoutou Magassa lucky to stay on after avoiding clear booking
West Ham midfielder Soungoutou Magassa made his first start for the club on Merseyside after a summer move from Monaco, and he was lucky to end it while still on the pitch after Barrott failed to give him a clear yellow card.
The Frenchman wiped Jack Grealish out in the 26th minute as he looked to attack down Everton’s left flank, and it seemed to be a certain booking with the England winger about to break away, yet Magassa was not penalised despite the free-kick being given.
He was then booked for a late tackle on James Garner just after the break, and should have been off for two yellows at that point if Barrott had done the right thing and sanctioned his earlier foul.
Jake O’Brien also avoids obvious yellow card
Jake O’Brien has struggled at times at right-back for Everton this season, with his lack of pace exposed compared to when he plays in his natural centre-back position.
This was no different as Crysencio Summerville ran the show for the Hammers on the left-wing and gave him a torrid time, with the forward breezing past him and nearly into the area in the 36th minute before O’Brien took him out with a rash challenge.
Match official Barrott did not deem the tackle worthy of a yellow card, but it certainly was, and the Irishman somehow got away without picking up his first booking of 2025-26.
Everton denied a clear penalty as Konstantinos Mavropanos handles it in the area
Football Insider revealed in the summer window that West Ham were open to letting Konstantinos Mavropanos leave the club if they were able to sign a replacement, and all connected to the club will be wondering why that didn’t happen after his showing against Everton.
He had looked shaky all night up against Grealish and Beto, and was seriously lucky not to give away a penalty in the 53rd minute with Everton already a goal to the good.
Grealish had got to the byline when he crossed it into Alphonse Areola and his save flicked up onto the Greek defender’s outstretched arm.
The call was checked and cleared by VAR, but despite him not knowing much about it, Mavropanos should have been penalised by Barrott as he very clearly stopped it with his arm not in a natural position.