Football
ESPN 5y

Everton boss Marco Silva angry over FA Cup VAR use in Millwall loss

Everton manager Marco Silva hit out at the FA Cup organisers for not implementing VAR at every match as his side crashed out of the competition in a shock 3-2 defeat at Millwall

Richarlison opened the scoring before Lee Gregory headed the Championship strugglers level just before half-time. Cenk Tosun put Everton ahead again but Jake Cooper levelled with a goal he later admitted was handball and left-back Murray Wallace smashed home an added-time winner.

- FA probes racist chanting; man slashed in face

VAR is only used in FA Cup games held at Premier League grounds this season -- a decision which left Silva bemused.

"Two points made the difference: we have to be more mature, taking the responsibility on the pitch, and the decision on their second goal," said Silva. "You can work 20 or 30 hours on the same things, set-pieces, but you have to take your responsibility onto the pitch with you.

"We knew what they would do before the match but we gave them what they wanted. And if the competition has VAR for some stadiums then it has to have it in all. Because it doesn't make sense. It was a clear handball. I'm sure handball is not allowed in football.

"We had seven, eight players in the penalty area. They all see that it's handball, so it's really difficult that the referee cannot see that also. And then it's also on the big screen, thousands of people see it there but the referee didn't see it again.

"It was really strange in that moment. And those two moments made a big impact. It doesn't make sense, it doesn't make sense [not to have VAR at every match]. If we have to be fair with all the clubs, and with the competition, you have to do it for all the games.

"Now we go home frustrated. You have to be fair, even with the competition, not just with Everton."

Millwall boss Neil Harris confirmed after the game that Cooper had admitted he had handled the ball, but said his side deserved their win.

"At the time I thought Marco Silva was moaning that it was offside," said Harris. "So I didn't even know [about the handball]. But Jake's been honest enough to say that the ball hit his arm. If we've got a little bit of fortune there we'll take that because we've had very little luck this year.

"Can the referee change his mind from watching the big-screen replay? I don't know. Even I couldn't tell at that point. I thought the issue was possible offside. I was just more concerned with us getting the game restarted and going to chase a winner."

^ Back to Top ^