Everton manager David Moyes launched a furious tirade against match officials after his side's 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, branding the decision to send off defender Michael Keane for hair-pulling as "ridiculous".
Moyes's fury over controversial dismissal
The flashpoint occurred late in the second half on 7 January 2026, with Everton leading 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Keane himself. In a challenge with Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare, Keane was adjudged to have pulled his opponent's hair. Referee Thomas Kirk, officiating only his second Premier League match, was advised to review the incident by VAR official Chris Kavanagh.
After viewing the monitor, Kirk produced a red card for the Everton centre-half in the 83rd minute. A visibly angry Moyes, who was also booked for his protests, did not hold back in his post-match assessment. He argued the act was neither violent, forceful, nor deliberate, and therefore did not warrant a sending-off.
"I think it was a really poor decision to send him to the screen in the first place," Moyes stated. "(Marc) Cucurella got his hair pulled - violent conduct, a deliberate action, no problem with that. But this was in the game, on a ball coming up, and unless you have played the game, you might not understand."
Grealish's 'unprofessional' double yellow
Everton's frustrations were compounded just seven minutes later when on-loan Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish also received his marching orders. Grealish was first booked for dissent and then shown a second yellow card for sarcastically applauding a decision by referee Kirk.
Moyes expressed clear disappointment with the player's conduct. When asked if Grealish had been unprofessional and if he would be speaking to him, the manager replied curtly: "Yes, I agree - and I already have done." Grealish will now serve a one-match suspension for the two yellow card offences.
Consequences and potential appeal
The red card for Keane carries a heavier punishment, with the defender facing a potential three-game ban for violent conduct. Moyes admitted he was uncertain whether the club would lodge an appeal against the decision, despite his strong feelings about its injustice.
Beyond the officiating controversy, the Everton boss was critical of his team's overall performance. "Not great," he admitted, after Mateus Mane's strike earned rock-bottom Wolves a point. "It was always going to be a difficult game but we could have gone two up before half-time. But we never really felt as though we got a grip of it."
The result leaves Everton ruing missed opportunities and facing significant squad challenges for upcoming fixtures, with two key players now suspended following a dramatic and contentious finale at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
