Everton were furious when the ref refused to give them a penalty at West Ham. Matheus Fernandes pretty much slapped the ball away inside his own box while defending against Thierno Barry. It looked obvious to most people watching; even plenty of West Ham fans admitted it was blatant. Fernandes moved his arm right toward the ball – a totally unnatural position and definitely not accidental.

Football’s often about shades of grey, but this one seemed crystal clear: a textbook handball penalty. Unless Fernandes started dribbling the ball like an NBA player, it's hard to imagine what more he could’ve done. Even his own manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, said he was “scared” to answer when asked if it was a penalty. That’s as close as you get to the other manager admitting his team caught a big break.

The people making the call, though, saw it differently. Referee Stuart Attwell had a good spot but missed it. That’s supposed to be where VAR comes in to fix obvious mistakes. If VAR doesn’t step in for something like this, what are we even using it for? Why didn’t Michael Salisbury or Daniel Robathan, the officials at Stockley Park, say something?

I’ve never really trusted VAR, and honestly, I’ve started to hate the nitpicky mess it’s turned into. Just imagine it ruining a dramatic finish like the Rochdale vs York City promotion battle earlier that day. Still, this seemed like exactly the kind of moment where VAR should do its job or else scrap it altogether. But VAR’s here to stay in the Premier League, even though the Championship has pushed back against it.

Now, Everton plans to act. Chief executive Angus Kinnear will contact referees’ bosses to complain about Premier League officiating consistency.

This isn’t new. Back in 2022, after Manchester City’s Rodri handled the ball in the box at Goodison Park and went unpunished, Everton’s manager and chairman got phone calls from PGMOL boss Mike Riley after they lodged a complaint. But, you know, talk is cheap. Until officials start treating Everton fairly, nothing changes.

All season, Everton’s been dogged by inconsistent decisions. Their campaign started at Leeds United, with Chris Kavanagh (the same VAR official from the Rodri handball) awarding Leeds a late penalty for a supposed handball by James Tarkowski. Tarkowski asked if having his arm by his side was a penalty. The ref told him "no", so he was baffled when it happened.

In the next game, Attwell punished Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for something similar. Yes, the same Attwell who missed the Fernandes handball. Everton didn’t get a penalty at Burnley later that year, even though Jaidon Anthony blocked a shot with his arm in almost the same way.

Back in August, officials ruled that Dewsbury-Hall made his body bigger with his arm. But replays showed he was actually closer to the shot than Anthony had been.

Then came Arsenal. William Saliba floored Barry in the box, but the Premier League Match Centre said it “wasn’t deemed sufficient for a penalty". Yet just two days later, Fulham beat Nottingham Forest thanks to a penalty awarded for a nearly identical incident.

David Moyes said watching the Fulham incident left him “half choking". He added, “It feels like certain clubs get those decisions and others don't; we seem to be on the bad side.”

Just to add insult, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel later voted that Everton should've had a penalty against Arsenal, and VAR should’ve sent the ref to the monitor.

And, after New Year’s, Everton’s Michael Keane got a red card for tugging the hair of Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare. Everton’s appeal failed, and Moyes was furious; he said the technical details made it impossible to get right.

Afterwards, PGMOL chief Howard Webb told Michael Owen on Sky Sports that Keane’s sending off was “the appropriate outcome". He claimed, “If we see it again next week, it will be the same outcome.” But it wasn’t. The next month, Fulham’s Kenny Tete yanked the hair of Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo and escaped any punishment.

It makes you wonder if someone at the Premier League has it in for Everton. Honestly, we’re all left scratching our heads about why.

Roberto De Zerbi has made it clear that his Tottenham side are ready to battle after finally securing their first Premier League win of 2026. After Joao Palhinha’s decisive goal at Wolverhampton, De Zerbi expressed belief that survival in the league is still within reach.

He pointed out that while they’re not looking at a huge points cushion – just two points behind West Ham – the team quality is there. What really caught his attention, though, was the character and professionalism of the players, something he hadn’t fully appreciated until working with them day to day. Watching games on TV doesn’t reveal much about spirit or attitude, but being with the squad daily gave him confidence.

Yet, De Zerbi wasn’t entirely happy with how the match unfolded. The long stretch without a win has clearly affected their confidence, especially after a promising start that didn’t quite translate into enough chances or goals. He also mentioned worries over injuries, specifically to Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons. Solanke’s injury appears to be a muscle strain, not severe but uncertain in terms of recovery time. Simons’ knee issue is less straightforward, with hopes that it’s improving but still requiring close monitoring.

Despite these concerns, there was genuine satisfaction with the team’s spirit and, importantly, the performance of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. Just over a month after a tough moment at Atletico Madrid, Kinsky made a crucial late save to secure the victory, earning praise from De Zerbi as someone who deserved this kind of day.

Reflecting on the game, De Zerbi noted their first 35 minutes showed promise, though the second half fell short of expectations. He acknowledged Tottenham can play better and stressed the need for more confidence, especially given the team’s solid performance in European competition last season, which he felt wasn’t any easier than the Premier League.

With just four games left, Tottenham sits two points behind West Ham but benefits from a healthier goal difference. Their upcoming fixtures include meetings with Aston Villa, Leeds, Everton, and Chelsea, each carrying significant weight for their survival hopes.

Joao Palhinha, the match-winner, emphasised the importance of these final games, calling them “four finals” and highlighting the collective responsibility to keep Tottenham in the Premier League. For him and the rest of the club, this win symbolises much more than just points; it represents a chance to turn their season around and maintain the status the club belongs to.