Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: PGMOL accept “terrible” yellow cards were “wrong”, Everton boss David Moyes confirms

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have accepted that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was ‘wrongly’ awarded yellow cards that led to his Premier League suspension, Everton manager David Moyes has revealed.

Dewsbury-Hall, a summer signing from Chelsea, will miss Everton’s home encounter with Crystal Palace on Sunday and will serve a one-match suspension after picking up five yellow cards in his opening six top-flight appearances this season.

The midfielder was controversially awarded his fourth yellow card for taking a quick free kick as Everton were pushing for an equaliser in a 2-1 defeat to Merseyside rivals Liverpool last month.

Dewsbury-Hall was then handed his fifth booking in last Monday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United, despite replays showing that he won the ball during his challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters.

The decision sparked a reaction from Dewsbury-Hall on social media, with the Everton man posting on X: "Forgive me if I'm wrong, and I might be, but some of these decisions are so hard to take. Mind boggling.”

Moyes stated after the draw with West Ham that the decision from referee Samuel Barrott to show a yellow card was "shabby" and questioned the level of officiating in the Premier League.

Forgive me if I’m wrong, and I might be, but some of these decisions are so hard to take. Mind boggling. https://t.co/XpoKG3HoiB
— Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (@KDH__8) September 29, 2025

"I think the decisions we've had at the moment [have been frustrating], but I think all the managers might be saying that at the moment," Moyes told reporters.

"I mean there's been a general poor level at the moment. I thought the decision on Dewsbury-Hall was a really shabby decision."

PGMOL send message to Everton after Dewsbury-Hall suspension

Moyes has since revealed that Everton have been in contact with the PGMOL and have received their perspective on the recent incident involving Dewsbury-Hall.

"We have spoken to [the PGMOL] and I think they're accepting that both of those yellow cards [against Liverpool and West Ham] were wrong,” Moyes said at a press conference on Friday.

"It's amazing - [Kiernan] is a boy who, when you look through his history, I think he had six bookings in total last year and the year before maybe five bookings, so he's never had these numbers at all.

"The last two decisions are terrible, they really are - more for the boy. We're going to miss him greatly, but more for the boy because he's back playing regularly now and he's enjoying his football."

Everton duo Branthwaite, Rohl ruled out of Palace test

Meanwhile, Moyes has also confirmed that defender Jarrad Branthwaite and midfield summer signing Merlin Rohl will miss Sunday’s game as they continue to recover from injury.

"Both the same - no change, neither of them fit for the game but they're both making progress and, with a little bit of luck, we'll start to get them on the grass,” said Moyes. “We've not got them on the grass yet in training, so that's where we're at."

On facing Palace, the Scotsman added: "[Oliver Glasner has] done a great job and they've got some really talented players.

"They deserve a lot of credit. Building teams is really important and I like the people who try to build teams. They've not done it with huge resources at Crystal Palace.

"You can look how well they're doing. The manager's got good history in Europe and got them back in Europe again now, and I give them a good chance of winning the Conference League, as well."

Everton currently sit ninth in the Premier League table with eight points from six matches, four points behind third-placed Palace who are the only remaining team in the division who are yet to lose this season and most recently beat champions Liverpool 2-1 at Selhurst Park last weekend.