Everton manager David Moyes was left angered by referee Lee Mason after his side's 1-0 home defeat to Stoke City.
Robert Huth's goal seperated the teams on a day when the Toffees failed to create many chances in front of goal.
"I thought the referee had a poor game. It is not the reason for our loss - far from it because that was down to our inability to make and take chances," Moyes told BBC Sport. "But there was a lot going on in the box and we got very little of it.
"We hadn't done an awful lot wrong and we found ourselves a goal down. I don't think we deserved to be behind in the game but we had to go chasing it.
"What wins games is goals and they got the goal and we didn't."
The defeat has seen the Toffees slip down to 10th in the Premier League table.