Source:REUTERS/David Klein
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, Everton manager David Moyes was unhappy with the appointed referee, Darren England, even before the Merseyside Derby. In the 5th round of the Premier League, Everton lost 1-2 to Liverpool in the derby. During the match, Everton were repeatedly frustrated with the referee’s decisions, as Darren England frequently prevented them from taking quick free kicks. After the match, Moyes expressed his dissatisfaction with the officiating, stating: “The bigger problem was that the game seemed completely controlled by the referee; we couldn’t launch any quick attacks and couldn’t get any flow going. I’ve been involved in many games where quick free kicks were taken without the referee’s whistle. This referee never allowed us to take a quick kick and maintain our rhythm. I also found it strange that there were only 3 minutes of stoppage time; if Liverpool were losing 0-2, I’m not sure the added time would still be just 3 minutes.” According to talkSPORT, a TNT video showed that before the match even began, Moyes had a heated conversation with Darren England before storming off. It is not yet clear what was said between them, and Virgil van Dijk was spotted laughing nearby.