‘I’ve never seen this’ – Everton and Arsenal players furious as referee appears to make rare error

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Everton was concluded under a cloud of confusion and anger as the referee blew the final whistle… and then let play continue again. Match official Darren England sparked furious reactions from both sets of players for his blunder, with talkSPORT commentator Sam Matterface declaring: “I’ve never seen that before.” Everton players could be seen pointing to the clock after referee England blew for full-time too earlyGetty But Arsenal’s players weren’t happy the official then allowed play to continue and Everton to have a last-ditch attackGetty Arsenal stars had to be pulled away from the ref – who had earlier given Everton a controversial penalty – as they raged over the Toffees being given an extra opportunity to score a potential winning goal. However, it was the Everton players and supporters who were upset first, with boos sounding from around Goodison Park as England signalled for full-time when there was still around half a minute of stoppage-time still to be played. “There is the full-time whistle… but the Everton players are not happy,” Matterface said on talkSPORT live from Goodison on Saturday. “Oh, hold on a second. He’s called the game and now he’s saying he’s still got some time to play. He’s changed his mind and he’s given us a free-kick to Everton on halfway. “Wow. I have never seen a referee end a game and restart it again without the intervention of VAR. That is what he has done. “Apparently he ended it too early and now there is one last chance for Everton after a foul by Leandro Trossard, who didn’t even make a foul in the first place. “Ashley Young takes it, David Raya comes in and claims, he kicks clear and now we do have the full-time whistle. “Mikel Arteta is just separating his players from the referee who is being confronted by some of the angry Arsenal personnel. “What a bizarre end to the game.” You’d perhaps forgive the Gunners stars’ frustration after they saw Leandro Trossard’s opening goal cancelled out by an Iliman Ndiaye penalty that should not have been given. Arsenal manager Arteta was forced to intervene after the game ended as his players approached the referee over his timing mishapGetty Harrison hit the deck after a challenge from the Arsenal teenGetty The talkSPORT commentary team agreed it was a soft foul given against 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly on Everton’s Jack Harrison, who was accused of ‘collapsing cheaply’ in the area to win a spot kick. The Premier League later explained that the foul was reviewed by VAR but was not overturned as ‘the contact was deemed to be sufficient for a penalty and inside the area’. For Arsenal, it was another disappointing result and one which leaves rivals Liverpool just four wins away from securing the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta’s men boasted 70 per cent possession, had 14 shots to Everton’s five and five on target to Everton’s two. But they were again left to pay for a lack of clinical firepower up front, with makeshift striker Mikel Merino failing to continue his scoring run after netting in back-to-back games in the No.9 position. It also continues Arsenal’s poor record away on Merseyside, where they have won only three times in 27 trips against Everton and Liverpool. It was a frustrating outing for Arteta’s men and not the ideal preparation for their upcoming showdown with Real MadridGetty On the bright side, Arteta’s team ended the match without any additional injury concerns as they prepare to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League next week. Arsenal welcomed back Bukayo Saka from a lengthy injury layoff in their previous 2-1 win over Fulham, with the Gooners’ star boy scoring on his return to the team. However, Arteta was hit by two further injury headaches in the same game, with Jurrien Timber hobbling off the pitch and Gabriel suffering a hamstring injury. The Brazilian centre-back has now been ruled out until the start of next season in a major blow ahead of their Real Madrid showdown, although Timber’s issue didn’t appear serious as he came off the bench against Everton. Perhaps most crucially, Saka got another 45 minutes under his belt as he gears up for the biggest game of his Arsenal career, as they look to stun the reining champions of Europe in their quarter-final tie.

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‘I’ve never seen this’ – Everton and Arsenal players furious as referee appears to make rare error

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Everton was concluded under a cloud of confusion and anger as the referee blew the final whistle… and then let play continue again.

Match official Darren England sparked furious reactions from both sets of players for his blunder, with talkSPORT commentator Sam Matterface declaring: “I’ve never seen that before.”

Everton players could be seen pointing to the clock after referee England blew for full-time too early

But Arsenal’s players weren’t happy the official then allowed play to continue and Everton to have a last-ditch attack

Arsenal stars had to be pulled away from the ref – who had earlier given Everton a controversial penalty – as they raged over the Toffees being given an extra opportunity to score a potential winning goal.

However, it was the Everton players and supporters who were upset first, with boos sounding from around Goodison Park as England signalled for full-time when there was still around half a minute of stoppage-time still to be played.

“There is the full-time whistle… but the Everton players are not happy,” Matterface said on talkSPORT live from Goodison on Saturday.

“Oh, hold on a second. He’s called the game and now he’s saying he’s still got some time to play. He’s changed his mind and he’s given us a free-kick to Everton on halfway.

“Wow. I have never seen a referee end a game and restart it again without the intervention of VAR. That is what he has done.

“Apparently he ended it too early and now there is one last chance for Everton after a foul by Leandro Trossard, who didn’t even make a foul in the first place.

“Ashley Young takes it, David Raya comes in and claims, he kicks clear and now we do have the full-time whistle.

“Mikel Arteta is just separating his players from the referee who is being confronted by some of the angry Arsenal personnel.

“What a bizarre end to the game.”

You’d perhaps forgive the Gunners stars’ frustration after they saw Leandro Trossard’s opening goal cancelled out by an Iliman Ndiaye penalty that should not have been given.

Arsenal manager Arteta was forced to intervene after the game ended as his players approached the referee over his timing mishap

Harrison hit the deck after a challenge from the Arsenal teen

The talkSPORT commentary team agreed it was a soft foul given against 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly on Everton’s Jack Harrison, who was accused of ‘collapsing cheaply’ in the area to win a spot kick.

The Premier League later explained that the foul was reviewed by VAR but was not overturned as ‘the contact was deemed to be sufficient for a penalty and inside the area’.

For Arsenal, it was another disappointing result and one which leaves rivals Liverpool just four wins away from securing the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s men boasted 70 per cent possession, had 14 shots to Everton’s five and five on target to Everton’s two.

But they were again left to pay for a lack of clinical firepower up front, with makeshift striker Mikel Merino failing to continue his scoring run after netting in back-to-back games in the No.9 position.

It also continues Arsenal’s poor record away on Merseyside, where they have won only three times in 27 trips against Everton and Liverpool.

It was a frustrating outing for Arteta’s men and not the ideal preparation for their upcoming showdown with Real Madrid

On the bright side, Arteta’s team ended the match without any additional injury concerns as they prepare to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League next week.

Arsenal welcomed back Bukayo Saka from a lengthy injury layoff in their previous 2-1 win over Fulham, with the Gooners’ star boy scoring on his return to the team.

However, Arteta was hit by two further injury headaches in the same game, with Jurrien Timber hobbling off the pitch and Gabriel suffering a hamstring injury.

The Brazilian centre-back has now been ruled out until the start of next season in a major blow ahead of their Real Madrid showdown, although Timber’s issue didn’t appear serious as he came off the bench against Everton.

Perhaps most crucially, Saka got another 45 minutes under his belt as he gears up for the biggest game of his Arsenal career, as they look to stun the reining champions of Europe in their quarter-final tie.