MusaEverton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall played a key role in his side’s impressive 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium, delivering an energetic all-round performance as the Toffees secured their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Goals from James Garner, Hayden Hackney and Thierno Barry sealed the victory for David Moyes’ men, who will now face Fleetwood Town in the next round.
Dewsbury-Hall was among Everton’s standout performers, contributing significantly in attack and capping his display with an assist for Barry’s late goal.
However, the midfielder’s influence was not limited to his attacking contributions. His determination and defensive work were also evident during a controversial incident involving Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes inside the Everton penalty area.
The challenge sparked furious protests from Newcastle players, who believed their side should have been awarded a penalty. However, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has backed referee Farai Hallam’s decision to dismiss the appeals, insisting the official made the correct call.
Why Keith Hackett backed the referee’s decision to reject Newcastle’s penalty appeals
The penalty controversy became one of the major talking points of the Carabao Cup encounter, with Newcastle players left frustrated after their appeals were turned down.
However, Hackett believes the referee was correctly positioned to assess the incidents and that the players involved went to ground too easily.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News, the former PGMOL chief praised Hallam’s performance, describing him as a promising official who handled the contentious moments well.
“Farai Hallam is proving to be an outstanding referee with a great future ahead of him,” Hackett said.
“He was ideally positioned in both these challenges to turn down the appeals for a penalty kick.
“The first challenge we witnessed the number 10 go to the ground too easily, and he was lucky to not be yellow carded for a clear act of simulation.
“In the same phase his colleague also went to ground rather easily and I have no doubt that would have gone to VAR for a second look.
“However, again, referee Hallam in a good position turned down the appeals. I support his action.”
Hackett’s assessment will come as a boost to Everton, who could have faced a much more difficult situation had either incident resulted in a penalty for Newcastle.
His comments also suggest that the referee’s positioning played a crucial role in his decision-making, allowing him to judge the challenges without immediately awarding a spot-kick simply because an attacking player had gone to ground.
For Newcastle, the frustration was understandable given the importance of the match, but Hallam ultimately stood by his decisions as Everton progressed to the next stage of the competition.
Everton and Newcastle set for another fiery encounter at St James’ Park
Despite Everton securing victory in the Carabao Cup, the rivalry between the two sides could intensify when they meet again in the Premier League on Monday at St James’ Park.
The closing stages of Thursday’s encounter provided a glimpse of what could be another fiercely contested meeting between the clubs.
After Dan Burn scored a late consolation for Newcastle, tensions boiled over as the defender and Joelinton became involved in an angry confrontation with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and defender James Tarkowski.
The incident featured pushing, pulling and players putting their arms in opponents’ faces, forcing referee Hallam to intervene.
All four players were shown yellow cards, a decision that appeared justified given the heated nature of the confrontation.
The late flashpoint added another layer of intrigue to Monday’s Premier League fixture, with both teams likely to approach the rematch determined to make their mark.
Everton will head into the game with the confidence of having beaten Newcastle in the cup, while Eddie Howe’s side will be eager to respond after their disappointment at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
With the penalty controversy, late confrontation and competitive stakes fresh in everyone’s minds, the upcoming meeting at St James’ Park promises to be an entertaining and potentially explosive contest.
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