Merlin Rohl got away with one against Tottenham, but referee Michael Oliver cannot be faulted for his decision either.
That is the view of former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett, who told Football Insider exclusively that the call on Rohl’s challenge on Micky van de Ven came down to interpretation.
The incident occurred in the 20th minute when, despite a free-kick being given to Everton, Van de Ven was left writhing on the turf after replays revealed Rohl had gone in with a high, studs-up challenge. The home crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were incensed, though with Joao Palhinha’s goal ultimately settling the contest, it proved not to be a match-defining moment — much to Everton’s frustration.
Van de Ven went on to help Spurs over the line on Sunday, 24 May, sparing the club from the humiliation of relegation, though the defender could have paid a heavier price for the foul on him.
Hackett was sympathetic to Oliver’s handling of the situation. “I support the referee on this one,” he said. “First of all, I think it’s at most a reckless challenge. But of course, VAR is unable to come in and say to the referee, ‘It’s a yellow card’ — he can only intervene if he believes it warrants a red. I think, like me, they looked at the sequence. Two players go in, I think the ball has been cleared, I think he’s played it first. It’s a tight one.
“All games are not the same. People will say all games are the same, but they’re not. With the consequences of a major decision, you’ve got to be 100 per cent, and I think in this one it might have been 98 per cent. This is not going to be a hundred referees saying this was the right decision — this is more of a ‘You lucky boy, you’ve escaped’. But I can justify it as a red. No question about that.”
As for Rohl’s future, questions are already being asked about his long-term prospects at Everton. The club have completed a £17 million permanent deal for the attacker following his season-long loan, but his debut campaign on Merseyside has been deeply underwhelming — just one goal in 17 appearances. Many feel the club have already spent unwisely, particularly given the obligation-to-buy clause built into the original loan agreement.
With the transfer now made permanent, Everton may look to move him on, though attracting suitable interest will be no easy task given how little he has impressed in the Premier League. A red card against Spurs would have been yet another low point in a difficult first season in England — fortunately for Rohl, the referee’s original call stood.
