“If that doesn’t get given as a penalty, then it’s an absolute free-for-all from now on,” David Moyes said after the game.

The Everton manager wanted a spot-kick after Rohl was pulled to the ground by Bernardo Silva at an 85th-minute corner.

“I might have to start coaching my defenders how to defend differently completely,” Moyes added. “It looks like now you’re able to sort of grapple and wrestle on the ground if you want.

“I’m absolutely amazed.”

It was checked by Howard, the video assistant referee, but he ultimately decided that the foul took place before the ball was in play.

And you cannot give a free-kick or a penalty if the ball is out.

The referee can take disciplinary action, but the restart has to remain the same.

Last season, Southampton’s Jack Stephens was sent off via a VAR review for pulling the hair of Chelsea‘s Marc Cucurella when the ball was out. The game still got under way again with a corner.

It is often why you see a lot of the pushing and shoving taking place just before a corner taker delivers the ball into the box.

In February, Erling Haaland asked for a spot-kick after being dragged down by Tottenham‘s Radu Dragusin.

Just like in this case, it was decided the holding had ended by the time the corner was taken.

This was a close call for Silva, though.

It was a clear non-footballing action, too, with the Portugal international having both arms around the waist of Rohl and no interest in challenging for the ball.

There is no doubt that most of the holding was before the ball was kicked. But Everton fans argue it was still happening when James Garner kicked the ball, and that VAR should have intervened.

The VAR stats show why Everton feel so frustrated.

With three rounds to go, they are the only team in the Premier League yet to have an overturn go in their favour. In fact, no other team has fewer than two.

At the other end of the scale, Chelsea have had 11 VAR interventions go their way.

The last time the Toffees gained from a review was in January 2025, for a penalty at Brighton.

But stats from the Premier League’s key match incidents panel indicate Everton have not generally been hard done by.

Everton have suffered only one error this season, when they should have been awarded a penalty on VAR review at home to Arsenal.

The Toffees have, however, benefited from four refereeing mistakes.

There was a missed VAR intervention to award a penalty to Wolves in August.

A spot-kick should have been given to the Gunners in the reverse game at Emirates Stadium, and to Chelsea in March – but neither reached the threshold for VAR.

Garner, meanwhile, should have received a second caution against Aston Villa in January.