Silva defends VAR after 'tough' decisions against Everton

Liverpool, October 29: Everton manager Marco Silva has defended VAR after two decisions went against the Toffees in their 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Saturday (October 26).

The Merseyside club took a 2-1 lead at the weekend when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored, but the visitors were denied a penalty as Richarlison seemed to be held by his marker at a set-piece.

Brighton went on to score a controversial penalty as Michael Keane was adjudged to have fouled Aaron Connolly, before Lucas Digne put through his own net in stoppage time.

Former Watford and Hull City manager Silva is under pressure at Everton having won just one of his last five Premier League games with the club in 16th place, but defended the technology and was keen to support the referees.

"VAR is in football to stay. Of course, now it is the first season in the Premier League and in some other countries, when they have the first season they have some issues as well," he told reporters.

"If they found that penalty with Michael (Keane), they have to do the one before with Richarlison."

A tough one to take for the Blues today. pic.twitter.com/6jQ0QEqAMi

— Everton (@Everton) October 26, 2019

"Of course we have to support and give big respect to all the referees and the VAR. Unfortunately for us as a football club, the last decisions were really tough against us.

"In the right moment we are here to give our feedback and feelings as manager, not just mine but also those of other managers, our expectations and ways we think it can improve.

"It’s up to us to keep supporting even if in some moments it is difficult to understand, and for us at Everton at the beginning of the season, it has been really tough to understand some of the things.

"It’s here. Unfortunately it hasn’t been good to us so far, but we hope it will be in the future."