Everton undone by Wiley’s wiles

MORTEN Gamst Pedersen couldn’t help himself. Why shouldn’t he have a go at Alan Wiley? Everyone else seemed to be rounding on the referee.

But the midfielder should have realised it was a time to keep it buttoned and instead help Blackburn count their blessings. Wiley earned Pedersen’s wrath by issuing a late caution which rules the Norwegian out of next Monday’s trip to Arsenal but that was as bad as it got for Blackburn.

The first in a series of great escapes arrived when Wiley allowed David Dunn to stay on despite a deliberate handball while he was already on a yellow card. Salt was soon rubbed into Everton’s wounds as the midfielder cleared Phil Jagielka’s header off the line.