DAVID MOYES has described the standard of officialdom this season as the biggest threat to the image of the Premier League, as the fallout from Jack Rodwell’s controversial dismissal in the Merseyside derby continues.

The Everton midfielder is available for today’s visit to Chelsea after a disciplinary panel overturned the red card he received from Martin Atkinson for a legitimate challenge on Luis Suarez in the recent 2-0 loss to Liverpool. The referee has not acknowledged that he made a mistake at Goodison Park or tried to contact Moyes since the game, and will take charge of the match between Stoke City and Fulham today.

Moyes, who has confirmed his interest in resigning James McFadden, believes Rodwell’s red card is one of several major errors that have blighted this campaign. Having been reminded of clubs’ responsibilities towards the image of the game before the season started, the Everton manager insists it is match officials who are now undermining standards.

“We have been told that the image of the game is vitally important to the Premier League, in terms of the conduct of the players and the conduct of the managers,” he said. “They said the image had to be right. I think at the moment it is close to the referees’ decisions giving the Premier League a difficult image.

“Ever since the derby, the only thing that people have talked about is the referee. I find that quite incredible. They aren’t talking about Liverpool’s performance, or how Everton did. The only thing they are talking about is the referee’s performance.

“That’s why I am talking about the image of the game. The image of the game is being enhanced by the footballers in this country and by the levels of the managers. I am not convinced that it is being enhanced by the performance of the match officials.”

The Everton manager claimed to be unperturbed by Atkinson’s refusal to offer an apology for Rodwell’s sending off. Moyes suggested, however, that Atkinson had been treated leniently by his employers at Professional Game Match Officials compared to other high-profile referees.

Everton have not lost at Stamford Bridge in the league since 2006 but Moyes believes Chelsea under Andre Villas-Boas represent a sterner opponent than Carlo Ancelotti’s team last season, and will challenge the Manchester clubs for the title. He said: “They have added a couple of new dimensions to the way they play. Juan Mata is the biggest difference that I see in Chelsea.

“Mata is probably as close to David Silva in the Premier League as I have seen. He has given them a new flexibility. They had that in their heyday when they had Shaun Wright-Phillips, Damien Duff and Arjen Robben. Daniel Sturridge has given them a new freshness too.”