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(Credit: Sky Sports)

Oliver Walton

Tue 19 August 2025 7:30, UK

Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam was fortunate not to be sent off for a two bookable offences in their Premier League season-opener against Leeds, according to Keith Hackett.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the Toffees man should have been given a yellow card in the first-half as well as his eventual booking in the second period.

Everton were beaten at Elland Road after a late penalty was dispatched by Lukas Nmecha to hand Leeds the three points on Monday (18 August).

The hosts piled on the pressure in the first half as David Moyes’ side were forced to sit deep, but they came back into it in the second-half and went close through Charly Alcaraz and James Tarkowski.

Tarkowski was then unfortunate to give away a spot kick in the 82nd minute as referee Chris Kavanagh gave a penalty for handball, which was duly put away by Nmecha to hand his new club an opening-weekend win.

Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media

This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief, FIFA official and former professional referee Keith Hackett.

Everton will feel hard done by after losing a point late on to a debatable penalty call, but the game could have gone even worse for them had young midfielder Iroegbunam been sent off for two bookings.

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The 22-year-old started in midfield alongside the industrious Idrissa Gueye, and he gave away a foul in the first-half for a pull on Ao Tanaka’s shirt while he was breaking away towards goal, yet did not receive a yellow from Kavanagh.

(Credit Imago)

He then went flying into a tackle on Ethan Ampadu in the 56th minute and was duly booked for being late on the Whites man, but was arguably lucky to only be handed his first caution rather than his second after the poor challenge.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former referee Hackett revealed that he thought Iroegbunam should have been sent off by match official Kavanagh for picking up two yellow cards after each offence.

He said: “He (Iroegbunam) is a lucky guy to be still on the field given his early shirt pull that should have resulted in a yellow card.

“I do feel that Kavanagh was too lenient”

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