Everton are seeking a formal explanation over why serious claims for a penalty were not fully considered by the match officials in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Anthony Gordon went down in the Liverpool box under pressure from Joel Matip early in the second half but referee Stuart Attwell dismissed the penalty appeals and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not deem it suitable for intervention and play continued.
The controversial incident has since been heavily scrutinised with Everton manager Frank Lampard's belief his team should have received a penalty backed by a number of pundits and analysts. Even the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL), the body responsible for match officials in English football, has reportedly said there would have been "no complaints" from them had a penalty been given.
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Gordon's burst into the Liverpool box came at a crucial moment early in the second half with the Blues frustrating the hosts and the score level at 0-0.
Speaking after the game, Lampard said: "It is a penalty in the second half. I don’t think you get them here. I think probably if that is Mo Salah at the other end, you get a penalty. And I'm not trying to create conflict there, I think it is just the reality of football sometimes."
He added: "For me, for sure, that was a penalty, the second one on Anthony. It was a foul, it was a clear foul. But you don't get them here."
The ECHO understands Everton are now seeking clarification from the PGMOL over why more consideration was not given to Gordon's penalty claim, waved away by Attwell who was then not asked to reconsider his decision.
The request is just the latest sought by the club, where officials have repeatedly been frustrated by VAR decisions this season. The Blues received an apology from the PGMOL over the failure to award a penalty for handball in the 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City, while the club was also disappointed by the red card received by Allan in the home victory over Newcastle United, particularly in light of similar challenges in other games that did not lead to the same punishment.
