Former Premier League referee Dermott Gallagher has said Everton defender James Tarkowski should have conceded a penalty during his side's 3-1 Premier League win over Coventry City on Friday.
Tarkowski appeared to pull Caleb Yirenkyi's hair as the pair challenged for a cross in the first half, but no penalty was awarded following a VAR review. Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard was furious about the decision, and Gallagher believes Tarkowski actually committed two offences in one situation.
Gallagher's Verdict on Tarkowski Challenge
Speaking on Sky's Ref Watch, Gallagher said: "This is quite unique for a defender, two commit two offences in one situation. He throws one arm out and catches a player. He grabs the other by the hair.
"The grab and the hair is the easy one; it is so obvious. It has got to be dangerous or violent. If he gives a penalty and a yellow card, it fulfils the criteria. It is a foul.
"That one [elbow], you ask if he is leaping for the ball? That is why the second one [hair pull] is the easier one to punish. He is tugging his hair. We know that is an offence. Is it a red card? No, because we lowered the threshold. Penalty and yellow card."
Lampard's Other Grievances
Lampard also believed his side should have been awarded a penalty at the start of the second half when Vitalii Mykolenko brought down Taiwo Awoniyi. VAR checked the incident and concluded the tackle was marginally made outside the box.
Gallagher said: "Because he ruled it is outside the box, he cannot give a foul and award a free kick as the referee played on, he did not stop the game, which goes on because it is either a penalty, or nothing."
Lampard also felt Everton's second goal, scored by Thierno Barry, should have been ruled out for handball. Gallagher said: "Because they do not have this [super-zoom] facility. If I was to gamble, I'd say it probably does [touch his hand], but they do not have that image."
Managers' Reactions
Asked for his thoughts on the decisions after the game, Everton boss David Moyes said: "We have had plenty which have gone against us. It certainly doesn’t hit his hand at all, I think the hair pull rules changed so it would be a booking if it was but I think it is still ridiculous that is even categorised in the rules of 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." He added: "I’ve hardly seen (Myko incident) but a couple of people have said it doesn’t look anything like a penalty kick."
Lampard said: "For sure, I have looked at them because emotions in the moment, sometimes you can’t be clear, but Tarky pulls on Caleb’s hair.
"I think that’s a hard area to be in. What is a hair pull and what is not? He’s decided it is but it’s not enough.
"Taiwo, for me, on the line of the box is a penalty. You have to give the foul in real time anyway but the ref let it go. I thought it was a penalty by the time Myko’s knee is in the back of Taiwo’s knee.
"The Barry (second) one is handball, I’ve heard it didn’t hit his hand but he’s flicked it in with the final touch. VAR is there for that. Nothing went for us tonight.
"Well played Everton, they won the game and we knew it would be a tough match, but if three decisions are that big – I can’t sit here and say I know everything and they should give all three of them, but if one or two go our way they would clearly change the game."
