James Tarkowski appeared to apologise to Alexis Mac Allister after Everton’s 1-0 defeat by Liverpool.
Tarkowski was lucky to escape a red card in the first half of the clash for a shocking challenge on the Argentine.
As the Everton skipper attempted to clear the ball, he followed through and connected with Mac Allister high on his left leg.
However, referee Sam Barrott only gave Tarkowski a yellow card and VAR official Paul Tierney didn’t see fit to upgrade the punishment.
And, shortly after full-time at Anfield, the defender could be seen deep in conversation with his counterpart.
It seemed as if Tarkowski was apologising for his actions, something that was received well by Mac Allister who was seen smiling.
James Tarkowski appeared to apologise to Alexis Mac Allister after Everton’s loss to Liverpool
Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his high challenge on Mac Allister in the first half
Tarkowski had been booked for his challenge on the Liverpool star and VAR didn’t upgrade it
It look as if the conversation – which saw the pair embrace – ended when the Liverpool star said: ‘It’s OK’, before they walked off in separate directions.
The challenge had generated outrage at the time, with Jamie Carragher incandescent in the Sky Sports studio, before he expressed his shock that the referee hadn’t sent off Tarkowski.
‘In terms of refereeing, Barratt is in a brilliant position, he has to see that,’ he fumed. ‘It’s a shocking tackle, we know it should be a red card. For Tierney not to give it on VAR is shocking.’
Former Everton forward Duncan Ferguson agreed with Carragher that Tarkowski should have been sent off.
Ferguson said: ‘There’s no argument, straight red. He knows what he’s doing. He’s come right through him, that could have been a leg breaker. Maybe the referee… it’s his first derby, he should have taken it to the monitor.’
Gary Neville expressed a similar belief about Tarkowski’s challenge on commentary.
‘That’s a potential leg breaker,’ Neville had exclaimed. ‘I think he’s very lucky there Tarkowski. There will be those that will say it’s a natural follow through.
‘Trust me as a defender you do not need to follow through like that and with such force and it’s high. Very lucky.’
Mac Allister seemed to accept the apology as he was seen smiling as the pair embraced
Former referee Mike Dean agreed that Tarkowksi, who now has the joint most yellow cards without ever being sent off in Premier League history (63), could easily have been dismissed.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Dean said: ‘(Barrott) should have gone to the screen and (Tarkowski) should be off. It is a horrible challenge. It is a red card all day.’
The Premier League explained the decision on X, with a statement reading: ‘The referee’s call of yellow card for a reckless foul by Tarkowski was checked by the VAR, with contact on the follow through after Tarkowski had played the ball deemed to be reckless.’
Tarkowski had scored a dramatic late equaliser in the previous meeting between the two teams in the last ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
However, Mac Allister had the last laugh this time around as a second half strike from Diogo Jota gave Liverpool the victory as Arne Slot’s side went 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
