Everton Midfielder Left Frustrated by Yellow Card Accumulation
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has voiced his frustration after receiving a one-match suspension just six games into his Premier League career with Everton. The midfielder, booked for a challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters during Monday’s 1-1 draw against West Ham, will now miss Sunday’s crucial clash with Crystal Palace.
Taking to social media, the 27-year-old described the situation as “mind boggling,” suggesting that several of the cautions he has received were harsh. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, and I might be, but some of these decisions are so hard to take,” he wrote on X.
Moyes Questions Officiating Standards
Everton boss David Moyes echoed his midfielder’s concerns, calling referee Samuel Barrott’s decision to book Dewsbury-Hall at the London Stadium “shabby.” Moyes also criticised what he sees as a wider decline in refereeing quality across the Premier League.
“I think the decisions we’ve had at the moment have been frustrating, but I think all the managers might be saying that,” Moyes told reporters. “There’s been a general poor level at the moment. The decision on Dewsbury-Hall was a really shabby decision.”
A Costly Run of Bookings
Dewsbury-Hall has made an immediate impact since joining Everton from Chelsea in a £28m summer move, starting all six league matches so far. However, his combative style has already landed him in trouble with referees.
His fourth booking came in the Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool on September 20, when he was penalised for taking a quick free-kick—an incident teammate Jack Grealish described as something he had “never seen” in football.
Suspensions for yellow card accumulation are not unusual early in a season—Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson faced the same fate two years ago—but Dewsbury-Hall’s sense of injustice highlights growing tensions around officiating standards.
What It Means for Everton
Losing Dewsbury-Hall is a significant setback for Everton, who have leaned heavily on his energy and creativity in midfield since his arrival. With Crystal Palace up next, Moyes will need to reshuffle his lineup in the hope of maintaining momentum after a mixed start to the campaign.
