Coventry manager Lampard criticises VAR after 3-1 loss to Everton

Everton secured a 3-1 victory over Coventry on Friday night, with manager Frank Lampard saying the Video Assistant Referee system "didn't do its job" after three separate reviews went against his side. The incidents involved a potential hair-pull foul by James Tarkowski on Caleb Yirenkyi, a clash between Vitalii Mykolenko and Taiwo Awoniyi that could have been a penalty, and a possible handball before Thierno Barry's second goal.

Lampard told Sky Sports, "I'm not trying to talk about the circumstances of the actual football, but when big decisions change games, they absolutely do. It's disappointing. VAR is there for that and it didn't do its job." He added that the hair-pull should have resulted in a foul and a penalty, noting that the Premier League's new guidance differentiates between red and yellow cards for hair-pulling.

VAR officials Timothy Wood and Gary Beswick reviewed the two penalty appeals and the handball query, but no on-field or VAR decisions altered the outcomes. Referee Stuart Attwell also ruled none of the incidents as fouls.

Former player Jamie Redknapp described the hair-pull as "a definite penalty" and called the Mykolenko-Awoniyi decision "rubbish from VAR." Co-commentator Lee Hendrie echoed the view that the hair-pull was clear and that the handball before Barry's goal was questionable, though VAR concluded there was no conclusive evidence.

Barry, who scored twice, said, "A goal is a goal. It's the job of the striker to score," after his second goal stood despite the handball discussion.