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MapEverton Beat Coventry 3-1 as Frank Lampard Cites VAR Decisions After Hair-Pull Appeal
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Everton overturned Coventry with Thierno Barry netting twice and Dewsbury-Hall adding Coventry led through Yann Gboho; hair-pull not awarded penalty amid three VAR calls
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Everton beat Coventry 3-1
Everton beat Coventry City 3-1 on Friday at Everton’s home ground, with Yann Gboho giving Coventry the lead early in the second half before Thierno Barry scored twice and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a late third.
Coventry manager Frank Lampard said a hair pull by James Tarkowski on Caleb Yirenkyi warranted a penalty after referee Stuart Attwell rejected Coventry’s appeals.
Lampard also said he thought Vitalii Mykolenko fouled Taiwo Awoniyi near the edge of the penalty area and that Barry handled the ball before scoring his second goal.
Lampard pointed to VAR decisions involving Timothy Wood, and he said, "The Barry one is handball. I've heard they are saying it didn't touch his hand but I've seen an angle where he has flicked it in with the final touch. VAR is there for that," as Everton’s David Moyes rejected the handball claim.
Moyes said, "The hair-pull rule has changed, so it would be a booking if it was, but I still think it's ridiculous that rule is in the game," while Everton climbed to fifth and Coventry remained 16th.
Lampard targets VAR
Lampard told Sky Sports that VAR "didn't do its job" after three reviews went against Coventry in their 3-1 defeat to Everton.
Lampard said the Tarkowski incident in the first half was checked and that, "Seeing it back, it’s clear he tugged Kaleb’s hair," while he said he believed it was "a foul and a penalty" despite the rules being changed around hair pulling.
Lampard argued that the Mykolenko clip on Awoniyi should have been a penalty, and he said, "I thought the one on Taiwo running through - it's a clear foul that the referee doesn't give in-game."
Lampard also said the review of Barry’s second goal went against Coventry, and he told Sky Sports, "VAR is supposed to settle these situations, but it didn’t perform its role."
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp said, "Yirenkyi goes up, Tarkowski gets hold of his hair. He yanks it down," and he added, "It's a definite penalty for me," as Lee Hendrie said the hair pull would "raise awareness."
Rule changes and next match
The rules on hair pulling were relaxed this season, with officials considering intent and the degree of force when deciding whether an offence has been committed, and Lampard said, "I think the rules are fine. It's not a red card."
Lampard said he felt the officials got it wrong on three key moments, and he said he could not "sit here and say I know everything and they should give all three of them" even as he argued the decisions changed the game.
Everton’s David Moyes said he rejected the handball claim and said, "It certainly doesn't hit his hand," while he also said, "I think the hair pull rule has changed, so it would be a booking if it was."
Coventry’s position left them able to spend the international break in the relegation zone, and the Mirror said Coventry could drop into the relegation zone if this week’s results did not go their way.
The Mirror said Coventry’s next game was at home to fellow strugglers Crystal Palace while Everton travel to Brentford, as the match left Coventry 16th in the Premier League before the international break.