“VAR Didn’t Do Its Job” — Frank Lampard Left Furious Over Key Decisions in Everton Defeat

Frank Lampard criticised VAR after Coventry City’s 3-1 defeat to Everton, insisting three major decisions went against his side and that the system “didn’t do its job.”

Thierno Barry scored twice and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added another as Everton turned the game around. Yann Gboho had given Coventry the lead early in the second half.

Lampard argued the outcome could have been different if VAR officials Timothy Wood and Gary Beswick had ruled differently on three key incidents.

He felt Coventry were denied penalties in both halves: first when James Tarkowski appeared to pull Caleb Yirenkyi’s hair, and later when Taiwo Awoniyi was clipped from behind by Vitalii Mykolenko as he entered the box. Barry’s second goal was also checked for handball after the ball bounced up, struck the Frenchman and squirmed past Carl Rushworth, but was quickly cleared.

“The first-half decision on Tarkowski got checked, and seeing it back, he pulls on Caleb’s hair. I thought the rules were clear,” Lampard told Sky Sports.
“I know they’ve changed the rules so it’s not a red card, I get that, but he’s pulling on his hair and [Yirenkyi] can’t get his momentum to jump. I think it’s a foul and a penalty and they decided no.

“I thought the one on Taiwo running through – it’s a clear foul that the referee didn’t give it. I can’t believe that, because it was clear. Maybe he waited for the VAR because it was on the borderline.

“But as I see it, Taiwo’s foot is entering the box and his knee and the back of his knee are on the line of the box, which is a penalty. That goes against us with VAR.

“And then Barry’s second goal comes off his hand. I hate to sound like a moaner. I’ve worked here and know how momentum can swing the games.
“When big decisions change games, it’s disappointing. VAR is there for that, and it didn’t do its job.”

The result left Coventry with seven defeats in their first 10 league games — only the third time they have started a season that poorly, after 1919-20 (nine losses) and 1920-21 (seven). It also continued a grim run for former Everton managers against the club: the previous six such Premier League meetings (Marco Silva three times, Sean Dyche twice, and now Lampard) have all ended in defeat for the visitors.

Coventry sit 16th heading into the international break and could slip into the relegation zone depending on other results this weekend.