Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
Advertisement
FBL-ENG-PR-EVERTON-COVENTRYGetty Images

Coventry boss Frank Lampard questions Premier League hair pulling rule and blasts VAR after James Tarkowski escapes penalty in Everton defeat

Advertisement

Three calls frustrate visiting manager

Lampard watched his side lead through Yann Gboho after half-time before a Thierno Barry brace and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's late goal sealed Everton's comeback. However, the visitors were furious after referee Stuart Attwell and video assistant referee Timothy Wood rejected three major appeals. Alongside Tarkowski's clash with Yirenkyi, Coventry were denied claims for Vitalii Mykolenko tripping Taiwo Awoniyi and a Barry handball.

Relaxed regulations spark penalty debate

Although hair-pulling rules were relaxed this season following three red cards last term so only excessive force and intent warrant dismissal, Lampard felt Tarkowski's first-half tug inside the area remained a clear foul.

Speaking after the match, Lampard said: "They're saying it's not enough of a pull and I think it's a hard area to be in. What is a hair pull? You've decided it is but it's not enough. I have looked at them, sometimes with emotions in the moment you can't be clear on the sidelines.

"I think the rules are fine. It's not a red card. I kind of get that because I think in a game of football there's a lot of stuff happens that's not absolutely dramatic. You know they can happen but I think if the the rule remains that it's a foul so I felt it was a foul."

Advertisement
Advertisement

Rival bosses dispute handball incident

While replays suggested Mykolenko's clip on Awoniyi occurred just outside the box before Gboho's opener, Wood also cleared Barry's second goal despite the ball appearing to change direction off his arm.

Related Topics

Addressing both incidents, Lampard added: "Taiwo for me on the line of the box is a penalty. You've got to give the foul in real time anyway, the ref did let it go, and I felt it was a penalty.

"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.

Advertisement

"I can't sit here and say I know everything and they should give all three of them, if one or two of them don't go our way, but they would clearly change the game."

However, Everton manager David Moyes denied the handball claim while questioning the hair-pulling regulation: "We've had plenty [of decisions] which have gone against us. It certainly doesn't hit his hand.

Advertisement

"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. I can't understand why they don't fix this completely because I don't see it as a good rule at all."

International break offers welcome reset

Friday's victory lifted Moyes' side to fifth in the table while leaving Coventry 16th ahead of the November international break. The Sky Blues were left to rue why Barry's goal stood when Nottingham Forest had a similar effort disallowed against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season. Lampard must now rally his aggrieved squad before top-flight action resumes later this month.

News editor

Adhe has previously worked for ESPN Star Sports, Fox Sports, and FIFA.

Manchester United was Adhe's first love, and he has since been covering the Premier League and European football for GOAL.

Adhe's favorite football memory is covering the Indonesia vs. Netherlands match at GBK in 2013, and randomly meeting Radja Nainggolan in the stands of Sultan Agung Stadium, Bantul, when the former Inter player was playing for Bhayangkara FC.

Adhe's areas of expertise after over a decade and thousands of football matches:

  • Deep knowledge of both Indonesian and European football
  • Premier League analysis
  • Covering a wide range of editorial topics

Adhe's All-Time XI (4-1-2-3) Edwin van der Sar; Dani Alves, Paolo Maldini, Nemanja Vidic, Roberto Carlos; Roy Keane; Xavi, Paul Scholes; Lionel Messi, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo.

View Author Profile