Everton’s Sean Dyche Baffled By Ibrahima Konate Decision In Derby

Liverpool came out on top in the 243rd Merseyside Derby this weekend, but Everton manager Sean Dyche had every right to feel aggrieved with one of the game’s big decisions, or rather, non-decisions.

Dyche had seen one of his own players, Ashley Young, sent off in the first half after picking up two yellow cards.

But when Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté clashed with Everton striker Beto as the visitors were looking to break, referee Craig Pawson failed to show Konaté a second yellow of his own.

Liverpool went on to win the game courtesy of two Mohamed Salah goals, one on the counter-attack late in added time, and an earlier strike from the penalty spot to open the scoring.

The Red side of Merseyside might have felt they could have had an earlier penalty when Nathan Patterson fouled Luis Diaz in the box, but the big non-call of the day came when Konaté clumsily cut down Beto in midfield.

James Tarkowski had been booked earlier for a similar challenge, though the referee did indicate that was for a cumulation of fouls.

Few would disagree that Konaté was lucky not to get sent off though.

“I’ll be amazed if there’s anyone out there who thinks that wasn’t a yellow,” Dyche said in his post-match press conference.

“Especially in the modern game, let’s have it right, you can touch someone on the shoulder and the legs buckle and you get a penalty or a yellow or whatever the moment is.

“It’s just bizarre to me, that.

“Some of the decisions that were bookings, and then Konaté’s is not, that’s baffling.”

Even Konaté’s own manager, Jürgen Klopp, hinted that his player was lucky in that incident.

Klopp’s decision to replace the Frenchman with Joël Matip around a minute later showed he knew his side might have got away with one.

“Their manager, fair play to him, he took [Konaté] off as quickly as he could after that,” added Dyche.

“He’s realised they’ve got away with one there, I imagine. He couldn’t wait to get him off.”

Liverpool boss Klopp admitted in one of his own post-match interviews that: “Ibrahima, could have gone, yes.

“It could have happened obviously and then we took him off and from that moment we were solid and compact.”

Young’s rash decision to fly in on Diaz for the challenge that resulted in his second yellow card, and Keane’s strange decision to hold his arm out while defending a Diaz cross, were what ultimately cost Everton.

Dyche and Everton fans, though, will believe Pawson’s decision not to send off Konaté played a big part in the result, too.