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Tarkowski was brandished the yellow eleven minutes into the game as he caught Mac Allister high on his left calf during the follow-through after having won the ball in the lead-up.
Everton’s James Tarkowski, left, right Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Premier League Everton deplored online abuse targetted at defender James Tarkowski after the English footballer’s high challenge on Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside Derby between the sides that ended with the hosts finish winners 1-0 at Anfield.
Tarkowski was brandished the yellow eleven minutes into the game as he caught Mac Allister high on his left calf during the follow-through after having won the ball in the lead-up. The League later acknowledged that the man in the middle should have opted to show the Englishman a red and send him off for the challenge.
The toffees denounced the abuse and threats the 32-year-old received as a consequence of the incident.
“Everton Football Club is aware of threats made towards James Tarkowski and his family on social media. Such behavior is completely unacceptable and has no place in football or society,” the club said.
The defender’s wife, Samantha, also lashed out at the abuse her husband received in the aftermath of the Merseyside derby on her social media handles.
“The level of abuse my husband is receiving – wishing death on him, vile comments about me, about us as a couple, and about him as a person- is beyond disgusting,” Samantha wrote.
“People forget that he is more than just a footballer. He is a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, and most importantly, the father of our two children,” she continued.
“For those acting like he deliberately set out to hurt someone- ru serious!? Football moves at speed, and tackles are split-second decisions,” the post added.
“No player goes out there to injure someone and do you think any player would feel good about it if they did?” she said.
Everton gaffer David Moyes backed Tarkowski against the abuses hurled at the defender, despite acknowledging that the challenge was worthy of a sending off.
“It’s not acceptable for anybody in any walk of life, but we have to hold our hand up and say after looking at it again I believe that could have been a sending off, but I don’t think that means that you get abused online because of that,” he said.
“It’s part of football. He made what looked at the time, I thought, a really good tackle, but in looking at it again, I think that was a bit reckless,” the 61-year-old said.
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United Kingdom (UK)
