Gary Neville expressed dissatisfaction for Spurs victory after Everton controversy
Gary Neville believes he could sense the tension in referee Craig Pawson as the official prepared to inform an enraged Everton crowd that their potential equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur had been ruled out.
Everton’s frustrating afternoon ended in their first home defeat at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, falling 3–0 to an efficient and ruthless Spurs side. Micky van de Ven continued his strong form by scoring on either side of halftime, while Pape Matar Sarr sealed the victory late on. But the major talking point came midway through the first half when Jake O’Brien thought he had drawn the Toffees level, only for VAR to intervene and the goal to be disallowed.
The decision centred on the positioning of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye, who were both standing in offside positions as O’Brien’s header flew past Guglielmo Vicario. The officials ruled that the pair were interfering with play — particularly Ndiaye, who was close enough to potentially obstruct the Spurs goalkeeper’s view. Whether Vicario would have been able to stop the ball regardless is open to interpretation, but Pawson and the VAR team concluded that the Everton attackers’ presence had clearly influenced the play.
When Pawson returned to the field to announce the verdict over the stadium’s sound system, his unease was apparent. The home fans erupted in fury, booing and jeering loudly as the decision was confirmed. Commentating live for Sky Sports, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville couldn’t help but notice the official’s discomfort.
“It’s gone down well,” Neville said sarcastically as the noise from the stands intensified. His co-commentator, Peter Drury, responded wryly, “Who would want to make that announcement, in here?”
Neville then elaborated, observing Pawson’s visible hesitation: “You could almost see the fear in the referee’s eyes as he was about to speak. He knew what kind of reaction he was going to get.”
The former England right-back went on to discuss the defensive tactics that often lead to these contentious moments, adding: “Teams nowadays don’t leave men on the posts for corners or free-kicks — that’s deliberate. It’s part of a defensive mindset to make sure that any attacking players hanging around in those positions are caught offside. That’s why we see situations like this more often.”
For Everton, the decision was another painful moment in what has been a turbulent start to life at their new home. The disallowed goal not only sapped their momentum but also added to the growing frustration among supporters, who felt hard done by a call that could have changed the direction of the match. Tottenham, meanwhile, took full advantage, demonstrating the kind of composure and cutting edge that continues to define Ange Postecoglou’s evolving team.
In the end, while the scoreline suggested a comfortable Spurs victory, the debate surrounding Pawson’s decision — and the visible tension that accompanied it — ensured that the post-match discussion was dominated as much by officiating as by the football itself.