Everton manager David Moyes didn't hold back after his side's controversial 1-1 draw, questioning why Bernardo Silva wasn't penalized for a clear grapple in the box. "If that doesn't get given as a penalty, then it's an absolute free-for-all from now on," Moyes fumed. "I might have to start coaching my defenders how to defend differently completely. It looks like now you're able to sort of grapple and wrestle on the ground if you want."

The incident occurred in the 85th minute, when Everton's Merlin Rohl was pulled to the ground by Manchester City's Silva during a corner kick. Video assistant referee Paul Howard reviewed the play but ultimately decided the foul happened before the ball was in play—meaning no penalty could be awarded, only potential disciplinary action.

This isn't a new headache for VAR. Last season, Southampton's Jack Stephens was sent off via VAR review for pulling Chelsea's Marc Cucurella's hair when the ball was out, yet the game still restarted with a corner. It's why we often see pushing and shoving just before a corner taker delivers the ball into the box—players know the grey area they're operating in.

Everton fans argue the holding continued even as James Garner kicked the ball, but the decision stood. The Toffees are now the only Premier League team yet to have a VAR overturn go in their favor this season, with no other club having fewer than two. Meanwhile, Chelsea have enjoyed 11 VAR interventions their way.

The last time Everton benefited from a VAR review was back in January 2025, for a penalty at Brighton. But according to the Premier League's key match incidents panel, the Toffees haven't been consistently hard done by—they've suffered only one clear error this season (a missed penalty against Arsenal) while benefiting from four refereeing mistakes themselves.

For a team fighting to stay up, every decision matters. And as Moyes knows all too well, when the rules around set-piece grappling remain this murky, the margin for error—and frustration—only grows.