Why Simon Hooper overturned Everton penalty as fresh Dominic Calvert-Lewin transfer plea made

James Tarkowski has revealed what referee Simon Hooper told him when he asked why he overturned his decision to initially award Everton a penalty. The incident occurred a couple of minutes into the second half and left Blues boss Sean Dyche fuming.

Referee Hooper initially pointed to the spot after judging that Dominic Calvert-Lewin had been fouled by Brighton & Hove Albion captain Lewis Dunk before changing his mind after being sent to the monitor.

However, there were questions raised as to whether the match official had even been shown a replay of the incident about replays, which seemed to suggest he was just looking at a blank screen.

But it later emerged that Hooper reviewed the decision on a back-up pitchside monitor, which led to him making his decision.

Everton, trailing 1-0 at the time, ended up losing the game 3-0, and Tarkowski revealed post-match that Hooper told him, upon watching the incident again, he believed Calvert-Lewin had stood on Dunk rather than be fouled by his fellow England international.

Asked if the referee explained his decision to him, the Blues defender replied: “I think he is maybe saying that Dominic stood on Dunk rather than Dunk taking Dominic down.

“My only thing would be if I went sliding in in the box and didn’t touch the ball, I would have expected it to be given against me, which is what I said to the referee at the time, but he obviously went to the screen and saw something different.”

Off the pitch, one of the biggest issues Everton need to address in the coming weeks is Calvert-Lewin’s contract situation.

The 27-year-old is into the final year of his Goodison Park contract, and despite being offered an extension earlier this summer, he is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Calvert-Lewin is one of a number of forwards under consideration by Manchester United, but a new attacker is not a priority for the Old Trafford club ahead of this month’s deadline.

A move to Newcastle United also collapsed at the start of the window.

But amid all the speculation about what might happen before the summer transfer window closes, Tarkowski, however, is hopeful that his team-mate will put pen-to-paper on a deal that will keep him at the club.

He said: “It is not my opinion what Dominic does, but I would love him to stay here, and I thought he played really well, to be honest. I thought he was outstanding.

“He won everything in the air, held it up for us, and got in the box. Everything you know Dominic can do.

“Hopefully, from my perspective, he is here, but it is well out of my control. I just leave him to it, and hopefully he is with us.”

Everton’s next Premier League outing is away to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend, and Tarkowski believes after shipping three goals to Fabian Hurzeler's side, the Blues need to get back to keeping clean sheets like they did last season.

“Details within their box in terms of finishing chances,” he replied when asked what needs to change against Ange Postecoglou’s side.

“Making the right pass into the box from out wide, and we need to keep clean sheets. We know that.

“We have been quite good at that, especially since this manager has been here, so the more often we keep clean sheets, the better we will play.”