The Everton manager Claims PGMO Unwilling to Explain Controversial Decisions

David Moyes has claimed that the Professional Game Match Officials is hesitant to communicate with managers because a high number of refereeing decisions this season have been difficult to explain. The Everton manager said he “half choked” when Fulham were awarded what proved to be a decisive penalty against Nottingham Forest on Monday.

Inconsistency in Penalty Calls Highlighted

Everton were denied a penalty on Saturday for a comparable incident during their home defeat by Arsenal. The manager initially held his tongue on the decision at the time but, following Fulham’s penalty, believes the lack of consistency of referees can not be ignored.

“It took my breath away last night when I saw the decision given and ours wasn’t,” said the Everton manager. “It feels as though certain clubs get those decisions and other clubs don’t. It appears we are on the latter side of that.”

Previous Cases and Mounting Discontent

The coach also pointed to an earlier incident in the season at Brentford involving Virgil van Dijk which was quite similar. “I think eventually it was given. We are disappointed it wasn’t given on the night and we are reviewing other instances which have been overlooked,” he added.

Lack of Dialogue with Officiating Authorities

When asked whether he intended to raise the issue with the officiating body, Moyes expressed additional concern. “It’s unclear,” he said. “They don’t make it easy whatever you want. They are unwilling to have a conversation about it really. They might engage, but they don’t want to because they’re finding it probably very difficult to explain things.”

This position from the officials highlights a broader problem of transparency and accountability in the game’s officiating, according to the long-serving coach.