David Moyes didn't hold back after his Everton side suffered a defeat to "Leeds United" in the Premier League opener, pointing directly at the controversial penalty decision as the turning point.
"Obviously I'll say it's not a penalty and I genuinely believe it's not a penalty. I spoke to the referee. He basically has nothing to do with this decision - it was all made by VAR. In my opinion, the officials had a really poor weekend. There were a lot of bad decisions made and this is one of them," Moyes told ESPN after the match.
The incident in question involved James Tarkowski, who blocked a shot while falling with his arm almost pressed against his body. Despite what appeared to be a natural position, the referee awarded a penalty after reviewing the video footage.
It's worth noting that this wasn't the only controversial call during the Premier League's opening weekend, with multiple managers expressing frustration with officiating standards across different matches.
The penalty decision has sparked debate among fans and pundits alike. Is this really the standard of officiating we can expect this season?
Everton will look to bounce back in their next fixture against "Brighton", while "Leeds United" face a tough away trip to the Emirates to take on "Arsenal". For Moyes and his team, the focus will now be on putting this frustrating opener behind them - though the bitter taste of that penalty call might linger for some time.
