Three decisions referee Tony Harrington got wrong in Man United’s loss vs Everton
Referee Tony Harrington was involved in some high drama as Man United were beaten 1-0 by Everton at Old Trafford on Monday night.
One of the most shocking moments in the Premier League so far this season unfolded early on as Everton‘s Idrissa Gueye was sent off for a slap to the face of his own teammate Michael Keane.
The visitors did not let the situation affect them as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall soon fired them into the lead, and they held on for the remainder of the clash as Man United‘s efforts to equalise proved fruitless.
It ended 1-0 to Everton, and Football Insider have looked at three decisions that referee Tony Harrington did not get right on Monday evening.
James Tarkowski should have been cautioned for Joshua Zirkzee trip
The early stages saw Everton on top, but James Tarkowski was very lucky not to pick up the first card of the night for a clear off-the-ball shove on Joshua Zirkzee, who put in another poor showing.
It initially seemed like an innocuous coming-together in the seventh minute, but replays showed that the Toffees centre-back simply barged the United striker over for no reason while the hosts’ defenders had possession.
Referee Harrington, as well as any of the other match officials, failed to spot the obvious offence, and Tarkowski somehow got away with the challenge.
Idrissa Gueye was unfortunate to be sent off for Michael Keane altercation
Gueye’s moment of madness came out of nowhere as Everton were able to clear their lines but the two teammates soon started shouting obscenities at each other.
The Senegalese midfielder lost his head as he seemingly struck Keane in the face, but whether it was really with enough force to see him given a red card was pretty unclear on replays.
Harrington was very quick to pull the card out, and instead of brandishing it in such a manner, he would have been much better off giving out a yellow and allowing VAR to take a proper look at it, instead of making the bigger call which those at Stockley Park were never going to overturn.
Amad deserved a booking for Jack Grealish shove
United had the bulk of possession in the second-half as they tried to take advantage of the extra man, and so it was on the few Everton attackers to try and keep the ball when they did get a rare chance to go forward.
Jack Grealish is one of the best in Europe at winning fouls, and he displayed his prowess at doing so here in the 77th minute as he brought a long pass down with his chest and was barged into from behind by Amad.
It was a clumsy challenge in an advanced area for the Toffees, and the Ivorian’s second foul of the game, so he certainly should have been booked but was surprisingly not given a yellow by Harrington.