00:00Mark Lattenberg has leapt to the defence of Kiernan Dewsbury Hall after the Everton
00:06midfielder voiced his anger at what he described as mind-boggling officiating following his
00:12latest yellow card. Dewsbury Hall was booked for the fifth time in just sixth Premier League
00:18appearances on Monday night in the draw with West Ham, meaning he will now serve a one-match
00:23suspension and miss Sunday's clash with Crystal Palace.
00:28The caution came for a challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters where the 27-year-old appeared to win the ball
00:33cleanly before the Hammers' full-back went down. The midfielder took to social media afterwards to
00:40air his dismay, writing, forgive me if I'm wrong and I might be, but some of the decisions are so
00:46hard to take. Mind-boggling. His frustration has been heightened by another contentious caution in
00:54the Merteside derby when he was punished for taking a free kick too quickly.
01:00Former Premier League referee Klattenberg sympathised with Dewsbury Hall's view,
01:06insisting the player had every right to be disappointed. While admitting officials must
01:11take tight calls in split seconds, Klattenberg argued that in both recent incidents, the Everton
01:17man could feel justifiably aggrieved. Branding the quick free kick booking strange and suggesting
01:23greater game management was needed. Dewsbury Hall has been one of Everton's standout performers
01:29since his summer move from Chelsea, embodying David Moyes' energetic midfield approach,
01:35but his absence now leaves a gap for the Palace trip. Moyes, meanwhile, was forthright in his
01:41criticism of the standard of refereeing, describing the West Ham booking as a shabby decision and adding,
01:49I think the decisions we've had at the moment have been frustrating, but I think all the managers
01:55might be saying that. There's been a general poor level. With Dewsbury Hall's sideline, Everton's
02:03sense of injustice lingers. For a side-building momentum under David Moyes, the spotlights have
02:08shifted from their progress on the pitch to calls that are holding them back.
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