Coventry City manager Frank Lampard stated that a hair pull on Caleb Yirenkyi warranted a penalty during Friday's 3-1 Premier League defeat against Everton. Lampard questioned three specific refereeing decisions during the match.
The game saw Everton recover after Yann Gboho put Coventry ahead early in the second half, with Thierno Barry scoring twice and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall adding a late third goal.
Lampard expressed frustration that referee Stuart Attwell rejected appeals for a first-half penalty. He claimed James Tarkowski pulled Yirenkyi’s hair while challenging for the ball. While rules on hair-pulling have been relaxed this season to consider intent and force, Lampard argued that because the rule remains a foul, it should have been penalized.
"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,” Lampard told reporters. "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. "If the rule remains that it's a foul, so I felt it was a foul."
Lampard also alleged that Vitalii Mykolenko fouled Taiwo Awoniyi near the penalty area and claimed Thierno Barry handled the ball before scoring his second goal. Video assistant referee Timothy Wood ruled there was no handball.
"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,” Lampard said.
Everton manager David Moyes, whose team moved into fifth place while Coventry stayed in 16th, rejected the handball claim. Moyes stated, "It certainly doesn't hit his hand." However, Moyes also criticized the hair-pulling rule, calling it "ridiculous." He noted that under the changed rules, it would only be a booking if it were considered an offense.
