6:00AM BST 18 Sep 2012
Victor Anichebe was denied a valid goal on 79 minutes as
“If you’re the linesman running the line, you’d hope he sees the ball cross the line, that’s their job. You would hope he would see that,” said Moyes.
“There are two goals they missed but I can’t get them back. I don’t know how the linesman missed them. I had a word there, not ranting and raving, I just said 'hey you missed two goals’. I thought we had another goal in the game that should have counted but didn’t because it was ruled offside. It does affect the outcome of the game. What can I do about it? We all know the tools will come in eventually.”
Pardew agreed his side was fortunate to escape that decision, but believed his team’s fightback after the incident meant they merited a point.
“I’ve been saying for a long time we need technology. It cost Everton a goal tonight,” said Pardew.
Pardew’s saw striker Demba Ba come off the bench to equalise twice, and he defended his decision not to start with him. “Well he got two goals and could have had a hat-trick. Sometimes players play well when they’re angry,” he said.
Before kick-off, Moyes led Everton’s tributes to the victims of Hillsborough, branding the 23-year cover-up of the disaster “disgraceful”. Club rivalries were set aside as Everton took their first opportunity to acknowledge the significance of last week’s statement on the true causes of the 1989 disaster that led to the death of 96 Liverpool supporters.
“I believe everybody in the world of football will have been shocked by the wrongdoings surrounding Hillsborough which were exposed last week,” said Moyes.
“I, and everybody at Everton, stand alongside the families who for so long have challenged the authorities over what has now been proved a travesty. I am not only a football manager, I am a football supporter and a father and I applaud the families who continued to fight for the ones they loved.
“The outcome was nothing short of disgraceful. We have all been brought up to believe and trust in authority. The authorities who were responsible for ensuring the safety of supporters that afternoon let themselves down, as have the government parties who have been in power since. Praise must go to Andy Burnham and the families for getting disclosure.”
Everton played a poignant song He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother by The Hollies while the names of all the victims were displayed on the stadium screens, alongside the slogan 'justice for the 96’.
