David Moyes delivers a strong attack on PGMOL, VAR and Premier League officiating after Michael Keane’s three-game suspension is upheld. Everton’s appeal fails before Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Sunderland, deepening Moyes’ belief that decision-making in recent matches has repeatedly harmed the team.
Moyes’ anger grows after several earlier VAR controversies involving Everton. A review panel recently decided the club should have had a penalty in a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on 20 December, while separate handball claims in a 0-0 draw at Burnley also went against Everton.
The latest flashpoint comes from Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Wolves. Referee Thomas Kirk misses Michael Keane grabbing Tolu Arokodare’s hair while jumping for a header, before an extended
VAR check advises a straight red card for violent conduct, triggering an automatic three-match ban.
Everton lodge an appeal against the suspension, but on Friday the club confirm the challenge has failed. Speaking at his pre-match media conference, Moyes addresses both the panel and the technology involved, saying: "Hugely disappointed. Hugely surprised," he said. "I'm probably more angry with the [appeals] panel who thought that was the case. I have to question the three [people on the panel]. I know who the three are and I'm amazed they in some way didn't overturn it. Three games for what shouldn't have been any games. I'm more embarrassed for the VAR. This is a young referee doing only his third or fourth game and VAR gave him a terrible decision. They shouldn't have got involved at all. Embarrassed for them, looking to find the smallest things. I don't think anybody would have paid any interest in it anyway [if not picked up]. I just want them to do their job the best they canif thats the best they can do at the moment, theyre in a difficult position. "
Moyes then links Keane’s dismissal to other recent incidents, arguing that similar or worse acts have received lighter treatment. He points to Thursday’s match where Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli is only booked after throwing the ball at Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and then pushing Bradley while the defender lies injured.
Using that episode to underline what Moyes views as uneven standards, the Everton manager says: "We saw last night that it's OK to throw a ball at somebody, it's OK to push and pick up someone with a bad injury. But that a little pull of someone's hair, accidentally, means a three-game ban is quite extraordinary for me. "
Moyes is also unhappy that a forceful challenge by Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan on Harrison Armstrong receives no further check from VAR before Keane’s sending-off. Hwang appears to stamp on the Everton midfielder’s leg, yet play continues without on-field punishment or video review, deepening Moyes’ sense of confusion.
Comparing the outcomes, Moyes asks: "What Keane has done is a three-game ban and a sending off, but [Hwangs] tackle was not recognised by VAR or the referee?" Moyes continues his criticism of the officiating process by adding: "It sounds like their [priorities] are in the wrong place at the moment. "
David Moyes reacts to Michael Keane's suspension appeal being rejected, and Hwang Hee-chan's challenge on Harrison Armstrong that did not result in a red card. pic.twitter.com/766CGkEobKEverton (@Everton) January 9, 2026
Those complaints sit alongside earlier calls for penalties that went unanswered. Against Arsenal on 20 December, William Saliba kicks Thierno Barry inside the penalty area, with a review panel later ruling Everton should have been awarded a spot-kick in the 1-0 defeat, further fuelling Moyes’ dissatisfaction.
Another key moment arrives in a 0-0 draw at Burnley last month. Tyler Dibling’s effort strikes Jaidon Anthony’s outstretched arm in the box, but Everton again do not receive a penalty. Collectively, these decisions shape Moyes’ belief that recent interpretations of handball and contact disadvantage his side.
| Match | Incident | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Everton 1-1 Wolves | Michael Keane hair pull on Tolu Arokodare | Red card, three-game ban upheld |
| Arsenal 1-0 Everton (20 December) | William Saliba challenge on Thierno Barry | Penalty later judged wrongly denied |
| Burnley 0-0 Everton | Tyler Dibling shot hits Jaidon Anthony’s arm | No penalty awarded |
Keane is not the only Everton player dismissed against Wolves. Jack Grealish receives a second yellow card for sarcastically clapping the referee, leaving Everton with nine players and adding to the sense of frustration surrounding officiating decisions on the night at Goodison Park.
Moyes accepts the referee’s decision on Grealish, yet again questions consistency across the league. Moyes says: "I didnt want to discuss other [incidents] because theyre gone and in the past, but now you bring them up, theres a fair few that have gone against us," he added. "I thought Jack was in the wrong, but then Ive seen other players who clap the referee and dont get bookings. "
With Keane suspended for three matches and memories of several disputed calls still fresh, Moyes’ comments show a growing lack of trust in VAR and Premier League officiating. The situation leaves Everton preparing for Sunderland and the upcoming league fixtures while closely watching how future refereeing decisions are handled.
