James Tarkowski is officially a Premier League record holder, although many will argue it is a contentious slice of history.
Tarkowski started for Everton in their gritty 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday, but his most important contribution, according to the history books, came midway through the second half.
Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly embarked on a lengthy run towards the Everton goal as he fended off Jack Harrison, who he had fouled earlier to give the Toffees a chance to equalise from the spot.
But when he encountered Tarkowski, the burly centre-back simply body-checked the teenager and sent him tumbling to the turf.
It gave referee Darren England perhaps the easiest decision to make all game as Tarkowski was shown a yellow card.
Little did England or Tarkowski know it was an historic booking.
After he picked up his 64th yellow card, it meant Tarkowski had received the most yellow cards in Premier League history without ever being sent off.
It is an immense feat given Tarkowski has played over 300 Premier League games since he joined Burnley from Brentford in February 2016.
In fact, over the course of Tarkowski’s career, he has only been sent off twice.
Both incidents occurred during his two-and-a-half years with Brentford.
The first was when he picked up a second yellow card in what was just his fourth game for the Bees against Leyton Orient in the 2013/14 League One season.
Tarkowski picked up his first and only direct red card the following campaign in the Championship when he was sent off in the 36th minute against Sheffield Wednesday.
However, fans, pundits and even the PGMOL alike believe Tarkowski should have had a red card in the Premier League as recently as Wednesday.
That’s because of Tarkowski’s brutal challenge on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister during the midweek Merseyside Derby.
Tarkowski flew into the tackle and although he won the ball, it was the follow-through which caught Mac Allister high on his leg that left Reds supporters wincing.
Referee Sam Barrott brandished a yellow card for Tarkowski and although VAR official Paul Tierney reviewed the incident, he didn’t deem it worthy of being overturned.
But pundits were quick to express their surprise at how Tierney didn’t feel it was worthy of a red.
“Tarkowski is one hundred percent a red card,” talkSPORT co-host Jamie O’Hara said on social media.
“I can’t believe VAR have let it go.”
Although the incident went unpunished at the time, talkSPORT understands the PGMOL has since acknowledged a review should have been recommended as the nature of Tarkowski’s follow-through met the threshold for serious foul play.
Tarkowski’s wife, Samantha later revealed the ‘vile’ abuse the Everton ace had received on social media as a result of the challenge, with one individual wishing death on her husband.
