Edwards has no complaints over Everton penalty as Sky Sports pundit felt Town defender wasn't 'clever at all'

Luton boss Rob Edwards had no complaints over the decision to award Everton a penalty during his side’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Kenilworth Road last night.

With 24 minutes on the clock and Town having conceded a corner after clearing a dangerous Toffees attack behind, the set-piece was swung into the area and initially cleared away by the hosts without any real alarms. Play was quickly halted afterwards however, with TV cameras picking up Hatters defender Teden Mengi tussling with Everton centre half Jarrad Branthwaite as the flag-kick was on its way, clearly wrestling him to the ground despite the pair being a good distance away from where the ball ended up.

Referee Tim Robinson was swiftly sent to the VAR screen by David Coote and after viewing the incident again, had little choice but to award a spotkick that was tucked him by Dominic Calvert-Lewin to open the scoring. Asked for his opinion afterwards, Edwards said: “I’ve watched it back, I don’t think we’ve got too many complaints. Teden’s going to have a phenomenal career, this is another bit of learning for him. He’s dead keen on stopping his man as well, probably just held him for a bit too long.”

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who won the Premier League title for Manchester United, didn’t think the England U21 international had been very ‘clever at all’ when grappling with his opponent, giving the officials in Stockley Park little option but to intervene. When giving his analysis, he said: “Yes it was (a penalty). I’ve got a very high bar when it comes to defenders being able to block and push and hold, I used to do it myself, but this just isn’t clever at all.

"From every angle that you see, he’s left the VAR official with nowhere to go. He grabs hold of him before the kick is taken, which is a big problem. Just as the kick’s being taken, you might grab him and let go, but he grabs him before the kick’s taken. He holds, you look at the force on his face, almost like he’s having to really struggle. Branthwaite throws himself to the ground in the end just to make sure the penalty is given, but VAR have done absolutely the right thing here.”

Mengi, who has been one of Luton’s star performers this term, might have been penalised beforehand as well, when he trod on Dwight McNeil’s foot inside the box, but despite VAR checking the incident, they came down on the side of the Hatters defender this time. Late on, there was another check when substitute Beto tangled with Gabe Osho, as giving his thoughts on the shouts, Everton boss Sean Dyche added: “The one with Beto is a tough one to call, it’s got a chance.

"They’re telling me it’s a maybe, a tussle between two players, so you might get it. The one with Dwight I just think when the feet are raised and you get a tap on the leg, I don’t think that can make you go down, but when you plant your foot and someone stands on it, you can’t move. So I would suggest that that would be a penalty, I think that one’s got a chance I must say.”