Leeds fans hit out as video shows Tarkowski’s tackle on Richarlison

Leeds United fans hit out as a short video shows James Tarkowski’s tackle on Richarlison during Everton’s win over Burnley.

The Toffees produced a stunning comeback to score three times at Goodison Park; Ben Mee had put Burnley ahead, but Michael Keane levelled; Andros Townsend’s stunner and Demarai Gray’s third goal for the club earned the victory.

The result means Everton are fourth in the Premier League with 10 points from four games, while Burnley sit 18th with just one point. However one incident has got everyone talking.

A number of fans, including those of Leeds took to Twitter to comment on a challenge from James Tarkowski on Richarlison on Monday night – with many left somewhat baffled.

The Whites’ latest Premier League fixture was overshadowed by the horrific injury suffered by Harvey Elliott over the weekend.

It came after a challenge from Pascal Struijk with the Leeds player getting sent off. However, many have been critical over the referee’s decision with Elliott himself insisting that the 22-year-old should not have been sent off. The Liverpool starlet noted that it was a terrible accident.

Struijk had no intention of hurting Elliott and though it does seem that he has potentially been a little clumsy leaving the ground to try and put the ball away from the opponent.

It remains to be seen if Leeds appeal the decision and some will certainly think that they have the grounds to do so, and fans have now hit out as a video shows Tarkowski’s tackle on Richarlison…

🗣️ “It was a mirror image of the tackle on Harvey Elliott”@GNev2 reflects on some refereeing decisions during #MNF pic.twitter.com/IzfWZXhbWf

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2021

@timdredge1: Definite red within the laws of the game for this type of tackle.

@Claytonslice: Tarkowski doesn’t even need to go to ground there.

@petesaardvark: Disgusting refereeing of this incident after the weekends injury. This was clearly deliberate and could have caused a lot of damage. Not even a yellow!! It needed a card to send a message. Instead he booked an Everton player for a trip. Baffled

@sabella68: Tarkowski gets the ball, yes, but the studs showing momentum takes Richarlson out. Worse than Pascal’s challenge, as the Burnley players studs are showing. Now someone please tell me, how he hasn’t got a yellow, when Pascal gets red?

@ctho1979: Burnley constantly testing the boundaries of hard but fair and trying to “do” a player. This and the Brownhill one are bad in real time let alone slow motion, not even fouls…..

@markdennett86: Inconsistent. And someone needs to do something about Burnley, as a club they’re endangering player safety.

@Claytonslice: My point exactly. Struijk gets a red, but Burnley finish the game with 11 players every week. This is the wrong universe for that to make sense.

@ian12795557: I couldn’t believe that and then Townsend got booked for absolutely nothing 5 minutes later – ridiculous refereeing

@LUFC4EV3R: He know exactly what he’s doing there as well could have ended his season but…. It’s not a foul 🥴🤣

@BrianKendall10: It’s an awful tackle how can anyone say that’s good!! Cooper got sent off for similar

@xneil40: I don’t get why the club are not appealing against his red card…

@Jamie_Jaycee: Bonkers!!! The refereeing is shockingly inconsistent once again.

@MintAndrews: This is why VAR is ruining football, What the difference between that and Pascal Struijk challenge!

@IThatirishguy: Ref having a nightmare some of the Burnley tackles have been horrible with no punishment and Townsend gets a yellow for a little pullback..

@sfchapman: What’s more worrying is how he didn’t seem to care that he could have broken another players leg

@Jeffers0846: Struijk went for the ball and won the ball, unlucky injury to Elliot (confirmed by Elliot himself). Tarkowski granted won the ball but also went for the man. Reckless. Big difference.

@mikewhorley: Definite yellow, overly aggressive but feet stayed on the ground and wasn’t from behind. Not about intent anymore, it’s whether it was dangerous which sadly most tackles from behind are if you then go through the player. Yes it was harsh but we really need to get over ourselves

@cfcrobinho: The inconsistency is laughable. Neither of those challenges are fouls never mind any cards. Let’s get that right.

@AlexandraMyers2: @fa @premierleague watch this and decide what your refs are doing wrong – disgraceful

@NeilWilzon: Disgusting. Far worse tackle and because no bones were broken that’s okay. The whole game is bent. @FA @premierleague will again walk around eyes wide shut!

@lukehiggins2: There is no consistently from the premier league referees anymore

@jamieessence: Tbf someone needs to give Tarkowski a reducer. Horrible player.

@harry_balmer: He won the ball. Just like Struijk did except Richardson didn’t come out with a broken ankle. Neither were a foul

@woody2goody_uk: Tarkowski is a disgrace, he’s at it every week.

@SteveC60lds: Tarkowski is not a footballer, he is a thug.

Player ratings

Everton: Pickford (6), Coleman (6), Mina (6), Godfrey (6), Keane (7), Digne (6), Townsend (8), Allan (6), Doucoure (8), Gray (7), Richarlison (6)

Subs: Gomes (7), Rondon (NA), Iwobi (NA)

Burnley: Pope (6), Lowton (5), Tarkowski (6), Mee (7), Taylor (5), Gudmundsson (6), Westwood (5), Brownhill (6), McNeil (6), Wood (6), Barnes (6)

Subs: Lennon (5), Vydra (5), Rodriguez (NA)

MOTM: Andros Townsend

Sky Sports pundit Neville felt that Josh Brownhill’s challenge from behind echoed the Pascal Struijk tackle that injured Harvey Elliott on Sunday, while Tarkowski’s lunge – not even given as a free-kick – was a possible red.

“There were a couple of challenges tonight. They were both very different,” Neville said.

“The first one in the first half is Brownhill on Richarlison and this is an absolute mirror of the tackle on Harvey Elliott. Absolute mirror. There is nothing different to it. It’s exactly the same.

“It’s not even a yellow card. He gives a foul, but it’s not even a yellow card. The ball is there, it’s very much the same challenge.

“I would accept a yellow. It’s definitely not a red. On that particular challenge I think that I’m happy with no yellow, but I would also accept a yellow and not think that’s a bad refereeing decision. That’s not a red card for me. Not a red card.”

Neville continued: “This one I don’t think has a place in football. If it had been given red I don’t think you could have complained if you were Burnley. I don’t think we would have complained. It’s the one by Tarkowski on Richarlison.

“I think it’s reckless. I think he knows he’s going to do him. I think he knows his follow-through is going to hurt him, or could hurt him. I think it does endanger him and I think Tarkowski there goes to do him – as in, leave one on him.

“This is a tackle that I think, if the referees are going back to Stockley Park tomorrow and assessing the lighter touch in the game, the physicality in the game – the first one I think you could say yeah, maybe yellow, maybe not, I don’t think anybody would get too much of their knickers in a twist over it – I don’t think that one there that we’ve just seen has got a place.

“You said before: orange. If it was a red I don’t think we could complain. It has to be a yellow card. That has to be a yellow card because 6ft 2ins centre-backs, 13 or 14 stone, going like that and clattering into people on the touchline – which me and him [Jamie Carragher] have done, by the way, throughout our careers and got yellow cards for it – that challenge even back in 1997, is a yellow card.

“That, to me, tonight, not being a yellow card just made me think a little bit. Let’s not get carried away – the refereeing has been brilliant, I’ve loved it, I’m with Sean Dyche in that the game is in a better place. But that challenge cannot be encouraged by not being booked.”