Everton manager David Moyes insisted two controversial decisions denied his side victory against Newcastle United at Goodison Park.
By Phil McNulty
In a thrilling 2-2 draw, Everton substitute Victor Anichebe saw play waved on by referee Mike Jones despite his header crossing the line – and Moyes also complained an earlier strike from Marouane Fellaini was wrongly ruled out for offside.
Newcastle counterpart Alan Pardew agreed and Moyes said: “There are two goals missed and we can’t get them back. I had a word with the officials but I was not in there ranting and raving.
“I said ‘you have missed two goals’ but what can I do about it? We played very well and should have won the game deservedly but didn’t.”
Substitute Demba Ba scored twice for Newcastle, including a last-minute equaliser, after Leighton Baines and Anichebe had struck for Everton.
Everton’s complaints, at least in terms of Anichebe’s ‘goal’, could soon be a thing of the past with Premier League committed to introducing goal-line technology “as soon as practically possible”, with the start of the 2013-14 season mentioned as a possible start date.
Two different systems, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, were approved for use by the International Football Association Board in December having fulfilled Fifa’s criteria, including a requirement that a decision had to be relayed to the referee in less than a second.
But Everton boss David Moyes believes that the officials should have done a better job even without technology.
“The tools will come in eventually to help officials but I think the job is to look along the line and hopefully get it right when the ball has crossed the line,” Moyes added.
“Even from where I was I thought Marouane Fellaini’s goal was a goal so I was surprised when it was given offside.
“We should have been out of sight by half-time and when it was still 1-0 Alan Pardew was probably delighted.”
Pardew admitted: “The header from Anichebe was definitely a goal. My technical team have told me it was over the line. I have been saying for as long as anybody technology must come in and it has cost Everton a crucial goal here.”
Everton striker Nikica Jelavic limped off before half-time as he struggled with a knee injury following a collision with a post when scoring a disallowed goal in the opening moments.
He left Goodison Park on crutches and Moyes said: “It looked as if he banged the side of his knee against the post. I don’t know if it’s too bad.”
