David Moyes lost his cool over Michael Keane’s red card in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Wolves, calling the referee’s decision “ridiculous”. Moyes was also unhappy with Jack Grealish for collecting two yellow cards for dissent and leaving his side to defend with nine men for the final minutes.
Keane, who had given his side the first-half lead with a lethal finish, was sent off at the 83rd minute after rookie referee Thomas Kirk was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR Chris Kavanagh. The centre-back appeared to tug Tolu Arokodare’s hair while jumping for an aerial duel and the incident was deemed violent conduct by VAR.
“It is not violent, it is not forceful and it is not deliberate,” Moyes said in the post-match press conference.
“So, all of those things I have said mean it shouldn’t have been a red card. I think it was a really poor decision to send him to the screen in the first place. (Marc) Cucurella got his hair pulled – violent conduct, a deliberate action, no problem with that.
“But this was in the game, on a ball coming up, and unless you have played the game, you might not understand. I have been a centre-half and there is no way I am jumping to out-jump a big centre forward and think .. ‘oh, by the way, I am going to out-jump him and, at the same time, I am going to pull his hair’
“I don’t know anyone on the planet who is good enough to think that way when they are jumping up. I thought it was a ridiculous decision by the referee but more by VAR. I thought the ridiculous bit came from VAR.
“If anyone grows their hair a bit longer, they have a chance of getting it pulled. Crazy. It was a ridiculous decision. Everybody was frustrated, everybody could not believe it.”
An infuriated Moyes also got himself booked in the aftermath of Keane’s red card while Jack Grealish talked himself into the referee’s book before following Keane to the dressing room after sarcastically applauding Kirk’s decision to award a foul.
Asked if he deemed Grealish’s actions unprofessional and whether he would have a word with him, Moyes said, “Yes, I agree – and I already have done.”
Moyes, however, is unsure whether the club would appeal against Keane’s decision. The centre-back will now face a three-game ban while Grealish will miss the next game in what is already a busy period for a squad stretched thin by injuries and Afcon.