Controversial VAR call denies Everton last-minute penalty against Manchester United

In a dramatic Premier League encounter at Goodison Park, Everton faced Manchester United on February 22, 2025. Everton initially took a commanding lead with two first-half goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure. However, Manchester United made a comeback in the second half with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, ultimately ending the match in a 2-2 draw. The match concluded with significant controversy as Everton was awarded a stoppage-time penalty when Ashley Young was fouled by Harry Maguire. The referee initially pointed to the penalty spot but overturned the decision after a VAR review determined that the contact was insufficient to warrant a foul. This VAR decision was met with frustration from both Everton players and their manager, David Moyes, who believed the original penalty call should have stood due to a shirt pull from Matthijs de Ligt on Young. Moyes and others criticized the VAR process, indicating that the decision-making was flawed as it focused on Maguire's challenge instead of the apparent shirt pull. This match's conclusion added to the ongoing debate about the effectiveness and transparency of VAR technology in football.