Everton 1-0 Ipswich: Barry seals win as VAR denies him again in Fatawu red-card game
Everton beat 10-man Ipswich Town 1-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, Thierno Barry's deflected second-half effort settling a match of limited quality. VAR intervened to chalk off a second Barry goal for offside interference against Brennan Johnson. Abdul Fatawu was sent off for two bookable offences as Everton moved to fifth in the Premier League table.
- Score: Everton 1-0 Ipswich
- Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium
- Competition: Premier League
- Everton manager: David Moyes
- Ipswich manager: Gary O'Neil
- Red card: Abdul Fatawu (Ipswich) — two bookable offences
- VAR: Overturned a Barry goal for offside interference
What happened: match report
Thierno Barry settled a match largely devoid of quality with a deflected effort as Everton beat Ipswich 1-0 at the Hill Dickinson, with VAR intervening to deny the Toffees forward what looked to be a legitimate second goal. James Tarkowski's strike from range hit the striker and wrong-footed Christian Walton, handing David Moyes' side their second victory of the season and extending their unbeaten start.
But Everton arguably should have won by a larger margin. Barry met Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's in-swinging corner with a fine glancing header in the second half, only for VAR to intervene and chalk it off, deeming Brennan Johnson to have been interfering with play from an offside position.
The incident comes a week on from the heavily scrutinised officiating display in the Manchester derby, where VAR's inaction drew major criticism, forcing Pro Ref to issue a statement of apology. On this occasion, however, VAR's intervention may well cause controversy for the opposite reason.
The hosts tried and failed to score many more times. Johnson skewed wide in the first five minutes, while Dewsbury-Hall bookended a poor performance in front of goal by heading inexplicably off target from a perfect Tyler Dibling cross late on. From 21 shots, Everton landed two on target.
In the end, their wastefulness did not matter, with Ipswich unable to make any of their chances stick either. Abdul Fatawu was dismissed for two bookable offences before the afternoon was out, with Gary O'Neil left visibly frustrated with his side's lack of quality.
What was said
"The goal has been ruled out with Johnson deemed to be affecting the goalkeeper, but this is a bad decision. There was no way he was going to save that."
Sue Smith's assessment cuts to the core of the VAR debate. She argues Johnson's position had no material impact on Christian Walton's ability to save Barry's header, suggesting the decision was technically correct but practically unjust.
The pundit's verdict will resonate with Everton supporters who witnessed a dominant performance undermined by a strict interpretation of the offside law. For Ipswich, the reprieve was temporary as Fatawu's dismissal ended any hope of a comeback.
The numbers
- Everton shots: 21
- Everton shots on target: 2
- Goals: Thierno Barry (deflected, via James Tarkowski shot)
- Disallowed goal: Thierno Barry (offside interference by Brennan Johnson)
- Red cards: Abdul Fatawu (two bookable offences)
- Everton league position: 5th
Why Everton's win was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests
Everton's dominance is underlined by the shot count — 21 attempts to Ipswich's handful — but only two found the target. Thierno Barry was both hero and victim: his deflected goal came from James Tarkowski's strike, but his perfectly taken header from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's corner was controversially disallowed. The forward's movement in the box caused Ipswich problems all afternoon.
Brennan Johnson's wastefulness in front of goal — skewing wide early and heading off target late from a Tyler Dibling cross — epitomised Everton's profligacy. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also struggled, bookending a poor performance by heading off target from a perfect Dibling delivery. David Moyes will demand sharper finishing.
Ipswich's afternoon went from bad to worse when Abdul Fatawu received a second booking and was dismissed. Gary O'Neil's side offered little going forward, and the red card killed any momentum they had built. The result leaves Everton unbeaten and fifth, while Ipswich remain without a win.
Talking points
- Should VAR have disallowed Barry's second goal? Sue Smith says no — Johnson wasn't affecting Walton's ability to save. The law is being applied too literally.
- Everton's 21 shots yielded just two on target. With this wastefulness, they'll struggle to break into the top four despite their unbeaten start.
- Fatawu's red card was avoidable. Two bookable offences show a lack of discipline that Gary O'Neil must address or risk more costly dismissals.
- Is VAR now over-correcting after the Manchester derby criticism? Pro Ref's apology last week may have made officials more willing to intervene.
What happens next
Everton travel to face their next Premier League opponent, looking to extend their unbeaten run and climb higher than fifth. Ipswich, still seeking a first win, must regroup after a costly defeat and a suspension for Fatawu. Gary O'Neil faces a test of his squad depth and tactical nous.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Thierno Barry's second goal disallowed for Everton vs Ipswich?
VAR ruled it out because Brennan Johnson was deemed to be interfering with play from an offside position, affecting goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Who scored Everton's winner against Ipswich?
Thierno Barry scored the only goal, a deflected effort from James Tarkowski's strike that wrong-footed Christian Walton.
Who was sent off in Everton vs Ipswich?
Ipswich's Abdul Fatawu was dismissed for two bookable offences.
Where did Everton vs Ipswich take place?
The match was played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton's home ground.
What does the win mean for Everton's league position?
The victory lifted Everton to fifth in the Premier League table and extended their unbeaten start to the season.
What did Sue Smith say about the VAR decision?
She called it a bad decision and said there was no way Walton was going to save Barry's header, despite Johnson being deemed offside.
How many shots did Everton have against Ipswich?
Everton registered 21 shots, but only two were on target.
Frequently asked questions (continued)
Did Brennan Johnson play for Everton or Ipswich?
Brennan Johnson played for Everton and was involved in the disallowed goal, skewing wide early and heading off target late on.
Who was Everton's goalkeeper against Ipswich?
The source does not name Everton's goalkeeper. Christian Walton was Ipswich's goalkeeper.
What was Ipswich's formation against Everton?
The source does not specify Ipswich's formation or line-up.
When did Everton last beat Ipswich before this match?
The source does not provide historical results between the two clubs.
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