Rodri: Pundit issues ‘massive’ Everton claim after ‘completely embarrassing’ development
Noel Whelan has slammed the “completely embarrassing” decision not to award Everton a penalty during the 1-0 defeat against Man City on Saturday.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted “ridiculous decisions are becoming far too frequent” despite use of the Video Assistant Referee.
Man City midfielder Rodri appeared to handle the ball inside the box in the final minutes of Saturday’s clash – but VAR official Chris Kavanagh chose not to recommend an on-field review of the incident.
As quoted by Sky Sports (27 February), Everton boss Frank Lampard slammed the “incredible” decision and branded Kavanagh “incompetent”.
Whelan suggested a “massive point” had been snatched away from the struggling Toffees.
“It’s completely embarrassing,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“I think Lampard said it all – his three-year-old could have made that decision.
“Everyone saw it. His arm moved towards the ball, it was raised high.
“I don’t understand why we have VAR. If you can’t get the right people sitting in the seats and making the decisions, they might as well switch it off and save some money.
“It’s getting too frequent now. There is so much inconsistency, even though they’ve got all the technology to slow it down and all the angles. Every angle screamed out penalty.
“You’ve got teams fighting at both ends of the table, and it could have been a massive point for Everton.
“These ridiculous decisions are becoming far too frequent. How that one wasn’t given as a penalty is absolutely bewildering to everyone, not just me.”
Man City stretched their Premier League lead to six points following the victory.
Meanwhile, Everton now sit just one point outside the relegation zone.
In other news, Kieran Maguire predicts Everton ‘over the moon’ as £400m “money-for-nothing” deal on the cards.