Everton want answers from PGMOL over Gordon penalty claim

Everton want answers from the Premier League's refereeing body around the failure to award them a penalty in Sunday's Merseyside derby loss to Liverpool.

It is understood that on Monday, Everton officially approached the PGMOL - the group responsible for refereeing standards in the top flight - to ask for an explanation around the incident in the 53rd minute when Joel Matip appeared to shove Anthony Gordon to the ground in the Liverpool box.

Frank Lampard's side felt aggrieved as referee Stuart Attwell waved away the protests and even more when VAR Darren England declined to intervene in the incident, as he deemed an on-field review was not necessary.

Everton feel like the technology at Anfield has not been used with due consideration in a pivotal moment of the game, as the score was still goalless at the time of the incident.

The club are not seeking an apology but more specifically an explanation as to why the VAR check was so quick, and did not even constitute a break in play.

Recently the club felt they have been wronged by refereeing decisions, including during their loss to Manchester City in March when they were not awarded a penalty for what seemed a clear handball by City's Rodri.

Head of referees Mike Riley subsequently apologised to both chairman Bill Kenwright and Lampard over the phone and admitted the officials took the wrong decision.

On Sunday, Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports Everton were denied a "clear penalty" as Attwell was influenced by an incident in the first half when he booked Gordon for what he perceived as a simulation.

Liverpool have not given away a single spot-kick in the Premier League at Anfield all season.

Gordon posted a video of the incident on his Twitter account accompanied by two