Former Premier League ref calls Everton decision a 'modern day penalty' during Man City loss

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Amadou Onana's handball against Manchester City qualifies as a 'modern day penalty'.

Sean Dyche's side put in a commendable effort against the reigning Premier League and recently crowned Club World Club champions as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Goodison Park, but the game turned on a penalty decision that infuriated the home crowd.

Onana slid in to block Nathan Ake's shot but his skewed effort hit the midfielder's high arm before referee John Brooks pointed to the spot after being told to do so by his assistant. Julian Alvarez stepped up to the convert the spot-kick and City later added a third to consolidate their away victory as Bernardo Silva fired into an empty net from outside of the box late on as Everton fell to back-to-back defeats.

In terms of the spot-kick from Gallagher's view, he spoke on Sky Sports' Ref Watch feature to say that he believes that it was a penalty in the current rules in which we now abide by. "I think it's a modern day penalty." He began.

"If you see this kind of thing of happen the directive is, is the ball striking an arm above the shoulder or the head? It's that high. The argument is, is that too close? Has he got time to react? But the minute I saw the replay I said this is going to be given, there's no doubt about that. The referee gave it on-field because of the assistant's direction, it goes to VAR to be checked but it's never going to be overturned."

It was another decision in which Everton fans felt aggrieved with following Dominic Calvert-Lewin's disallowed goal against Tottenham during their last outing and the Everton boss echoed those frustrations during his post-match interview as he revealed his frustration of the decision to award the penalty.

He told Amazon Prime: "We can debate the penalty all day. It has been by managers on Zoom calls to say it's a farce but that's the way it goes. That's completely natural. He's not putting his arm up to save it, he's literally jumping in to try to block the ball. How that is given as a penalty is bizarre in my world but I must be from a different planet. Tonight the linesman gives that and he's 18 yards away so I don't know who is giving what any more.

"Who knows? All the managers are debating it. Someone needs to stand up at some point and realise that can't be a penalty because he's just throwing himself in front of it to try to block the ball, that's it."