Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna unhappy about 'inexplicable' Everton decision given against his side
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna said it was “inexplicable” that his side had a penalty overturned against Everton. Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot when Dwight McNeil appeared to bring down Jack Clarke just after the Blues had taken the lead at Portman Road.
But he was asked to review the decision on the pitchside monitor and, once he did that, decided to change his original call.
Everton went on to win the match 2-0, with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Michael Keane condemning Ipswich to another week without a Premier League win.
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After the final whistle, McKenna said of the penalty decision: “I find really hard to understand.”
He continued: “My view of it is exactly as I saw at the time. I find it inexplicable really how it can be overruled… At the time it looked like a penalty. It felt like a penalty. Of course, I'm saying that through an Ipswich lens but Jack dribbles past a couple of players in the box and if he goes to shoot there is every chance it is a goal.”
The Premier League’s matchday centre explained: “The referee awarded a penalty to Ipswich for a foul by McNeil on Clarke. The VAR deemed that Clarke kicked the back of McNeil’s leg and that no foul was committed and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with a drop ball.”
For Everton, the decision had echoes of the call made in the draw against Newcastle United before the international break. On that occasion Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought down by Dan Burn as he went to shoot but it was ruled the striker had initiated the contact.
McKenna was of the view that such an incident should still be a penalty, however. He said: “Dwight McNeil lunges across the line on the ball right when he's [Clarke] on his backswing. Of course, you can say then that Jack's foot is what strikes Dwight McNeil, but Dwight McNeil lunges across the line of the ball in the penalty area, which I don't think you can do as a defender.
"He hasn't touched the ball. He's not probably made an attempt to play the ball. He has stopped Jack taking his shot. So I think it's a penalty.
"I understand how it's one that you could possibly debate. But I can't understand how all the directives we've had and everything that we've experienced so far is that unless it's a clear and obvious error, then it won't be reviewed, the referee's decision on field will stand for good reason because the referee has the best view and the referee can also feel the action at full speed. So I think it's a really poor decision for that to be identified as a clear and obvious error.”
McKenna said he spoke with Oliver over the call, the pair sharing a “respectful conversation” - but not one that ultimately changed his view.