Everton were denied a penalty during their 2-1 defeat against West Ham on Saturday, despite Mateus Fernandes handling the ball while grappling with Thierno Barry
10:16, 27 Apr 2026Updated 10:41, 27 Apr 2026
Everton manager David Moyes was left angered by the decision not to award a penalty during the defeat to West Ham.(Image: Getty Images)
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has admitted Everton should have been awarded a penalty against West Ham United.
The Blues were denied the chance on goal from the spot-kick during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to the Hammers as midfielder Mateus Fernandes escaped punishment for handball. At the time of the incident, Everton trailed 1-0 when the Portuguese tussled with Thierno Barry in the penalty area and appeared to strike the ball with his right hand, turning the ball behind for a corner.
However, Stuart Attwell wasn’t instructed to go the monitor and play continued. The Premier League Match Centre confirmed that the video assistant referee (VAR) checked and cleared the incident as it was deemed “Fernandes accidentally handled the ball while grappling with an opponent.”
READ MORE: Everton penalty farce raises uncomfortable Premier League questionREAD MORE: Everton to make contact with PGMOL after David Moyes left raging following West Ham decision
But Gallagher acknowledged Blues boss David Moyes‘ frustration as he disagreed with the on-field decision.
He said: “I think it’s a penalty. He’s handled the ball. If you take that chance like that. The feeling was that he accidentally caught the ball with his arm. I’m not so sure.
“I think most penalty handballs are accidental. Everyone knows if your arm is up and it hits it and stops a shot, it’s going to be given.”
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Everton are set to contact the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to express concerns about the consistency of officiating in the Premier League.
Blues chief executive Angus Kinnear plans to speak to officials on the refereeing board after the incident involving Fernandes’ handball.
Former Premier League striker Jay Bothroyd agreed that Everton should have received a penalty. He said: “He’s not intentionally tried to swipe the ball away. It is accidental handball but I think the terminology is that his hand is in an unnatural position.
Mateus Fernandes escaped being penalised for handball against Everton(Image: BBC Sport)
“I would say his hand is in an unnatural position. He should have given it. He couldn’t see the ball. Moyes has a point; it should have been a penalty.”
The Blues had fell behind to Tomas Soucek’s header after 51 minutes before their penalty appeals were waved away. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalised two minutes from time, but the relegation-threatened Hammers hit back in stoppage time through Callum Wilson.
Moyes was left incensed by the decision not to award a penalty as he highlighted the wording of “accidental handball”. He said: “Yeah, I do, yeah. I think it would be, it’s still pretty harsh on Fernandes, but he certainly punches the ball out, he puts his arms round [Barry].
“It’s not as if the ball comes on to his hand, his arm goes towards the ball. And I think today’s the first time I’ve heard the word accidental being used.
“I thought that word had been taken out of the vocabulary really, because I don’t think anybody’s used that word in the whole season really, on handball situations.”
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