Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has aired his belief that there was not a foul in the build-up to Everton’s equaliser against Burnley.
In the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees travelled to Turf Moor and drew 1-1 with Sean Dyche’s Clarets (per BBC).
Burnley had taken the lead through an impressive strike from distance by Robbie Brady, however, were pegged back in first-half stoppage time by a Dominic Calvert-Lewin equaliser.
Following the match, Dyche aired that he was “aggrieved” that a foul had not been given in the build-up to the Toffees’ goal.
Speaking exclusively to This is Futbol, Halsey said: “I mean, watching the game, I didn’t feel it was a foul at all by Allan.
“I suppose when decisions go against you, you look at every angle to take the blame away from your players. Clearly, it wasn’t a foul.
“Yes, there may have been the slightest of contact, but was it enough to make him go down?
“You’ve got to remember every little bit of contact doesn’t mean to say it’s a foul and a free-kick should be given.”
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No, there was no foul
When discussing the supposed foul with the BBC following the match, Dyche still took issue with the challenge.
The Burnley manager said: “Whether it’s a foul or not, that, in the Premier League, gets given virtually every week.
“It gets given in the box as a penalty, the tiniest touch and it’s a penalty because they say there’s contact. Lo and behold we need one, and we don’t get it.”
Halsey continued: “I think that Sean Dyche was just clutching at straws on that situation, personally.”
The point which Ancelotti’s side picked up at Turf Moor ensured that the Toffees have secured 17 points from their first 11 league matches as they have won five and drawn two (per BBC).