Liverpool Women manager Matt Beard has suggested referees may have a personal agenda against him after his side’s controversial Women’s Super League (WSL) defeat to Everton.
Beard was furious after his side were beaten at Goodison Park by Katja Snoeijs’s spot-kick, awarded by referee Abigail Byrne after Fuka Nagano clipped Honoka Hayashi.
Replays showed the foul occurred outside the area but the WSL does not use video reviews. Snoeijs’s goal gave Everton their first win of the WSL season and extended Beard’s winless league run against the club to eight league matches.
“I don’t know whether they [the officials] don’t like me personally, I don’t know, and whether that has an effect on my team,” Beard told reporters after the game. “It could do. I’ve been booked for things this year when I’ve seen other managers do a lot worse and get away with it.
“It (the penalty decision) cost us the game today. You’ve got the official, the assistant referee and the fourth official all with unblocked views. Even I saw the contact was about a yard outside the box.
“I just give up with it because it happens every week. Not just with us. Look at the start of the game. The first throw in should have been an Everton throw, but we get given it.
“I feel we should have had…
 defeat to Everton. Beard was furious after his side were beaten at Goodison Park by Katja Snoeijs’s spot-kick, awarded by referee Abigail Byrne after Fuka Nagano clipped Honoka Hayashi. Replays showed the foul occurred outside the area but the WSL does not use video reviews. Snoeijs’s goal gave Everton their first win of the WSL season and extended Beard’s winless league run against the club to eight league matches. “I don’t...){kind=link}