Everton manager Sean Dyche calls for big referee change

Everton manager Sean Dyche fears that players’ welfare is at stake. He says it is through the implementation of unnecessarily excessive amounts of stoppage-time during matches in which the outcome is already obvious.

Everton were trailing 3-0 and down to 10 men after Ashley Young’s sending off in their opening fixture of the Premier League season at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday when referee Simon Hooper indicated through fourth official Darren Bond that there would be a bumper nine additional minutes to play.

With the Blues’ defence stretched, the visitors had the ball in the net for a fourth time through substitute Yasin Ayari but his effort was ruled out due to offside after a VAR check.

Play ended up continuing for an extra 11 minutes before the full time whistle finally blew.

And Dyche said: “I don’t want to put it on us but if you’re in the Champions League with players coming back from the Euros and all that sort of stuff, there’s just got to be a bit of common sense. There could have been a bit of common sense from the referee with that one (against Brighton).

“Ordinarily, If there’s an additional nine minutes and it’s 0-0 or an exciting game, of course we all get it, we want as much value out of the game as we can, supporters, managers, whatever.

“We want to see goals and all that and statistically there are more goals scored at the end of games, but I was hoping for some common sense.

“They’re not allowed though. It’s hard on the officials. Once I start moaning about it but you can’t, it’s not their fault, they’re told they have to do it.

“I just think it’s a place for common sense. If it’s a normal game you’ve got to play what you’ve got to play – that’s the rules – but when it’s like that, if someone gets injured, I think we’d all be going ‘what’s that all about?’

“It’s 10 v 11 and we stretch on the 10 so if we get another injury, I’d be going ‘what’s that all about?’ I’d have an injury on top of a bad result and a player is injured for no reason at all, over a bit of common sense.

“So I’m just suggesting that. Let the referee have a bit of common sense (over stoppage time) and think ‘is it needed today?’ I don’t think it is.”

Everton, who have never come from behind to win a Premier League fixture during Dyche’s tenure, head to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday