Frank Lampard Criticizes VAR Decisions in Coventry City's Loss to Everton

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard was left fuming after his team's 3-1 defeat to Everton in the Premier League. The game turned on three major officiating calls, which Lampard believed went against his side. The first incident occurred in the opening period when James Tarkowski appeared to pull Caleb Yirenkyi's hair inside the box, but referee Stuart Attwell and VAR waved play on.

The key flashpoint involving Coventry City's Taiwo Awoniyi arrived early after the restart. The Nigerian striker went down under a challenge from Vitalii Mykolenko on the edge of the area. Lampard insisted that Awoniyi should have been awarded a penalty, stating that from where he was standing, and from what he has seen since, if that exact challenge happens on the edge of the box, it's a foul.

Lampard was equally unhappy with Thierno Barry's second goal for Everton, claiming a handball should have ruled it out. He stated that he has seen an angle where Barry flicked the ball in with the final touch, and VAR is there for that. The Coventry City manager questioned the consistency of VAR decisions, suggesting that his team has to clear a higher bar than their opponents.

The game took a significant turn when Yann Gboho scored for Coventry City early in the second half, but Everton completed the turnaround with Barry's quickfire double and a late Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall strike. Lampard highlighted that the decisions went one way every time, which he believes is not bad luck but a pattern.

Lampard emphasized that the point of VAR is to punish obvious-looking incidents, but that did not happen in this game. He questioned the benefit of having VAR if it's not being used consistently, especially when a smaller club is playing against a Premier League side. Coventry City had to play not only Everton but also the officials, according to Lampard.

The Coventry City manager called for transparency, stating that the audio of the VAR decisions should be released and the decisions explained. He insisted that until someone can explain why a hair pull, a clear trip in the box, and a handball appeal all got dismissed in the same ninety minutes, he will keep saying that his team did not just lose to Everton but also to the officials.

Lampard's frustration with VAR decisions was evident as he reiterated that Taiwo Awoniyi's incident on the line of the box was a penalty. He also expressed his disappointment with the overall officiating, stating that Coventry City has every right to feel robbed. The defeat to Everton has left Lampard and his team questioning the consistency and effectiveness of VAR in the Premier League.

Key points

• Frank Lampard criticizes VAR decisions in Coventry City's 3-1 loss to Everton, citing three major incidents that went against his side.
• Lampard questions the consistency of VAR decisions, suggesting that his team has to clear a higher bar than their opponents.
• The Coventry City manager calls for transparency, demanding that the audio of the VAR decisions be released and the decisions explained.