Goodison boss: I did not abuse officials...

DAVID MOYES insists that he did not verbally abuse match officials after he was sent to the stands in yesterday’s 3-2 victory at Stoke.

Goals just either side of the interval

from Ayegbeni Yakubu and Victor Anichebe saw Everton – who gave debuts to record £15m signing Marouane Fellaini and Segundo Castillo – go 2-0 up on their first ever league visit to the Britannia Stadium but a Seyi Olofinjana volley and Phil Jagielka own goal saw the Potters draw level.

A header from Tim Cahill – playing his first game for six months – enabled the visitors to eventually take the points but with the scores deadlocked at 2-2 Moyes claims his side should have been awarded a penalty when Stoke’s Leon Cort handled the ball by the edge of the area.

Referee Alan Wiley of Staffordshire initially seemed to have given the spot-kick, but on consultation with his linesman awarded Everton a free-kick just outside the area.

A frustrated Moyes then complained to the fourth official Michael Jones before the referee was called over and ordered the Scot to the stands.

Moyes said: “I said to the referee that it was a penalty.

“I didn’t swear. I don’t swear.

“I think (the decision to be sent to the stands) was because I was very strong in my wording, saying ‘It was a penalty.’

“I think I’m entitled to say that, perhaps he thought I was too strong in my views about it.

“I was saying: ‘It was a penalty kick – he’s got it wrong.’ That was my feeling at the time.”

He added: “I was standing by the corner and saw the ball dropped in and it definitely hit the ball on the arm and we thought it was a penalty kick.

“It was a big moment for us not to get it – we’d been 2-0 up and it was 2-2.

“I complained to the fourth official like you would do if you think you’re right.

“I said to the referee if I thought that I’d have got it wrong I’d be the first one knocking on his door and apologising to him. But they have said if they’ve got it wrong they’ll apologise.”