REFEREE chiefs have accepted Everton defender James Tarkowski should have been shown a red card in Wednesday’s Merseyside derby.

Tarkowski was shown a yellow card, which was upheld by VAR, for an early foul on Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

The Everton defender clearly won the ball, but caught Mac Allister high on the back of the calf with his follow-through.

It is understood the governing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) acknowledges Tarkowski’s card should have been upgraded to red as the follow-through met the threshold for serious foul play.

Referee Sam Barrott felt the challenge was reckless in real time and VAR checked the on-field decision of a yellow card, but PGMOL believes a review should have been recommended for the original decision to be overturned.

Speaking after the match, Toffees boss David Moyes admitted his side were “lucky” Tarkowski did not see red.

“I thought at the time it was a brilliant tackle for a derby game,” Moyes said.

“You people are all asking for [physical play] and then when you get it you want a sending-off, so be careful what you wish for.

“I thought it was a brilliant tackle, but since I’ve seen it and come back in we could have been lucky he didn’t get a red.

“It looked high, but it depends what era you want to watch your football in.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot said of PGMOL at a press conference on Thursday morning: “I think it’s always good that if they think they’ve made a mistake they acknowledge that.

“We all know mistakes are being made, by us, by me, by referees. It’s good they acknowledged the mistake, but I think it was so clear. So many pundits that are not Liverpool fans, all of them are clear about it as well.”

Asked what he had made of the standard of refereeing and VAR in the Premier League, the Dutchman said: “I think everywhere around the world, mistakes are being made.

“We’re all aiming for a league without mistakes. I’m aiming for a season without me making one mistake in the line-ups I make. But unfortunately, this will probably never happen, not with me and not with referee decisions. We also have to accept, which is sometimes very hard.

“I think this is quite an OK season for the referees in England, actually. Mistakes are being made. But the most important thing is it doesn’t influence the league table, and the only answer to that is in the end of the season.”

Mac Allister played the full game, and Slot added: “Sometimes adrenaline or just keeping running can help you, and then after a night’s sleep, you can come back and feel ‘maybe I do feel something now.’ But I hope and expect everybody is ready to play on Sunday [at Fulham].”

Read James Nalton’s match report from Anfield here: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/slot-keen-point-out-evertons-good-form-moyes-took-over.