Mark Holmes gives his verdict on Jonjo Shelvey's red card, David Luiz's escape of one, Sergio Aguero's penalty appeal and Everton's fine form.

Last Monday I talked Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard and handshakes, and this week I look at Jonjo Shelvey's red card, David Luiz's avoidance of one for this tackle on Jon Walters, diving, and Everton's superb early-season form.

Shelvey shouldn't have been booked

Regular readers will know I am a fan of what you might call 'blood and thunder' football so you may not be surprised to hear I thought Jonjo Shelvey's red card for his tackle on Jonny Evans was harsh.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said afterwards that Mark Halsey should also have shown a red card to Evans, but I see it differently - I don't believe either player should even have been booked.

I don't like to see players putting their opponents in danger with a dangerous tackle, but a 50-50 is different. Because of the way they are contested - with two players chasing a ball half way between them from opposite sides - there will almost always be strong contact made on the follow-through by at least one of the players.

Both know that as they run in, and both know they'll be slated by their fans if they pull out - as Shelvey said on Twitter after the game, there was "no way" he was going to pull out in a game of such importance, and I'm sure Evans felt exactly the same way.

I genuinely believe, despite Sir Alex Ferguson's comments, that neither Shelvey nor Evans would have had an issue with the other's challenge at Anfield on Sunday. Both attempted to win the ball, and it was just chance that it was Evans rather than Shelvey coming off worse.

I don't believe that either player could have contested the challenge in any other way, though, and to prove my point, here is a still of a 50-50 in the West Ham v Sunderland game which wasn't even given as a foul. The very nature of a 50-50 means both players will slide in.

Along with great goals and sublime pieces of skill, a 50-50 is something you can be certain will get fans on their feet at a football stadium. It proves the players' commitment to the cause, and seeing your star come away with the ball is guaranteed to make you roar.

But players will be discouraged from contesting them if referees continue to punish whichever player happens to catch the other one hardest.

I have long argued that too many challenges are judged not on the actual challenge itself, but by the injury they cause. Had both players got straight up on Sunday, I'm positive Halsey would have waved play on, and it isn't right if, as I suspect, he felt forced into sending Shelvey off because Evans came off worse.

However, as much as I'd love to see the red card rescinded, I think it's highly unlikely in the current climate.

Luiz tackle proves the point

Staying on the subject of tackles being judged by the injuries they cause, David Luiz's foul on Stoke's Jon Walters on Saturday is a case in point.

The Chelsea defender thudded into Walters' shin with his studs up but, because Walters avoided serious injury, the tackle will be forgotten by the weekend.

The trouble is, referees are also guilty of judging tackles by the injury. Had Luiz broken Walters' leg, he'd have been sent off without a shadow of a doubt, but because Walters got more or less straight up the Brazilian escaped with a yellow card. A yellow which, incidentally, can not be upgraded to a red because of the bizarre rules regarding retrospective action.

I've got no issue with Luiz - bad tackles occur in football all the time - but what I can't stand is the people that will talk about Shelvey's tackle all week long, still complain about tackles that caused injury some years ago, yet forget an awful tackle like Luiz's in a heartbeat simply because the player he fouled managed to walk away.

Aguero incident proves diving problem

I wrote almost on a weekly basis last season about the problem of diving in football, but my issue is rarely with the players themselves.

After all, referees actively encourage them to go to ground under the slightest of touches. I don't want to repeat myself too much, but it really is laughable. For me, players should attempt to stay on their feet at all times, and if they are impeded and unable to score, then a penalty should be awarded.

I hate the school of thought that contact in the box automatically equals a penalty or that players are 'entitled' to go down under contact, but you can understand why they do.

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero was undoubtedly impeded by Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny on Sunday, but, because he attempted to stay on his feet, no penalty was awarded. Yet if he had have gone to ground, one would almost certainly have been given.

Referees need to be re-trained on the issue otherwise we will continue to see cheating rewarded and honesty count for nothing.

Everton can last the distance

If you want a laugh, have a read of the comments from Liverpool fans regarding my pre-season prediction that Everton would make the top six ahead of them.

Deluded, senile, comedian, clueless, rubbish, codswallop, joker, on the wind-up, crazy and stupid were some of the insults thrown my way, but I wonder if any of those Reds are still quite so sure they will finish above their near-neighbours this season.

Everton may not have splashed the cash to the extent Liverpool have, but in David Moyes they have a manager that has been building a team for years and was thankfully able to strengthen it with something other than loans and free transfers over the summer.

The result is a side that has been one of the most impressive in the Premier League so far this season. They have quality all over the pitch, strength in depth and an established manager that knows what he is doing - if I was to re-think my prediction, it would be to put them even higher, not below Liverpool.

Let me know what has annoyed you over the past seven days, and remember you can follow me on Twitter @Homzy.