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According to a report by GOAL on Saturday October 17, 2026, Everton manager David Moyes has expressed his frustration with the refereeing decisions following his side's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Toffees suffered their first defeat of the season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Pedro Neto scoring twice to secure all three points for Xabi Alonso's Chelsea side. However, Moyes was left unhappy with referee Paul Tierney's performance, believing that several important decisions went against his team during the encounter.
One of the major talking points was a challenge by Morgan Rogers on Everton midfielder James Garner. According to the report, Rogers had already received a yellow card before making the challenge, which left Garner requiring medical attention.
Moyes believed the incident deserved further scrutiny, with the Everton manager questioning why Rogers was allowed to remain on the pitch. Former Everton winger Pat Nevin also suggested that the Chelsea player could have received a second yellow card for the challenge.
Speaking after the match, Moyes insisted that his frustration was not about expecting the referee to award a free kick for every challenge but about ensuring that the rules were applied correctly.
The Scottish manager also questioned the decision to book Everton youngster Harrison Armstrong for a sliding challenge on Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong during the first half.
Moyes felt Armstrong had made a good tackle and did not understand why the midfielder was cautioned. He described the challenge as one of the positive moments of Everton's first-half performance.
However, the manager acknowledged that he had not watched the incident again before offering his assessment, meaning his comments were based on his initial impression of the decision.
The two incidents contributed to Moyes' feeling that the officiating had been inconsistent, particularly when comparing the treatment of Everton's players with that of their Chelsea counterparts.
Despite the controversy, Chelsea ultimately secured a comfortable victory thanks to Neto's clinical finishing. The Portuguese winger broke the deadlock before adding a second goal to put the visitors firmly in control.
The brace was a significant achievement for Neto, marking the first time he had scored twice in a single Premier League match despite having made 187 appearances in the competition.
Chelsea's victory also lifted Alonso's side to fourth place in the Premier League table, providing an important boost to their campaign.
Everton, meanwhile, struggled to create enough opportunities to mount a comeback. The Toffees managed just two shots in the second half, highlighting their difficulties in breaking down Chelsea's defence after falling behind.
Although Moyes believes the refereeing decisions played a part in the frustration surrounding the defeat, Everton's lack of attacking threat was another major factor in their inability to get a result.
The manager will now be expected to help his players respond positively as they prepare for their next league fixture against Arsenal on October 24.
For Chelsea, the focus will be on building on an important away victory, with Neto's performance offering further encouragement.