In a Premier League match at Goodison Park on Saturday, both teams survived fear of penalties as technology did not override decisions on the field.
Everton’s encounter with Manchester United further sparked the VAR controversy, with both teams surviving fear of penalties as Jordan Pickford and Harry Maguire pushed their luck.
The Toffees took the lead at Goodison Park on Saturday through Bernard and seemed willing to rack up more pressure on Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Bruno Fernandes was, however, going to turn the tie around before the break.
The Portuguese playmaker scored a double in Merseyside, further underscoring his value to the collective cause at Old Trafford.
Goals dried up after the break, but talking points were not lacking.
Technology continues to be a source of lively debate in English football, and the latest round of matches has generated more talking points.
Two of them made it to Goodison in the second half, with a couple of big penalty cries falling on deaf ears.
The former saw Everton goalkeeper Pickford return to the spotlight.
During a Merseyside derby in October, the English international collided with Virgil van Dijk.
Jordan Pickford enters late on the great central defender of the opposition, and no penalty is applied #EVEMUN pic.twitter.com/0cQ6cyUJv7
– Goal (@goal) November 7, 2020
The Liverpool defender was left with a knee ligament injury, but the Toffees plug did not face any action at the time or in hindsight.
He got away with another reckless challenge against United.
The ball slipped out of his grasp as he tried to pick up a tall, floating cross inside the box, and his handling disappointed him once again.
While trying to make amends for his mistake, Pickford lifted a boot to Maguire’s stomach.
The ball ended up circling on the top edge of the net and play continued, without the VAR taking further action.
The Stockley Park team were called to action again shortly after when Maguire slipped into a tackle on Lucas Digne.
And now Harry Maguire has left a tough entry of his own at Lucas Digne
It all starts at Goodison Park! ⚔#EVEMUN pic.twitter.com/1Lxp7V2ryH
– Goal (@goal) November 7, 2020
The Red Devils captain approached the ball, but he also had a lot from his man.
Digne was thrown into the air and left on the grass, but again the match officials were unfazed.
Now all contentious incidents are controlled, especially those that could result in a penalty, but the VAR determined that no fault had been committed.
Solskjaer and Carlo Ancelotti were left to ruin those big decisions as hectic competition made its way to the end, with Everton stuck in a rut and United still searching for much-needed consistency.
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