Lampard blames referees for Everton’s predicament
Everton twice blew a lead and finished with nine men in a 3-2 home defeat to Brentford.
Everton manager Frank Lampard claimed a refereeing mistake cost his side the chance to end the threat of relegation hanging over them as they twice blew a lead and finished with nine men in a 3-2 home defeat to Brentford.
Knowing a win would have made them safe after Leeds could only draw with Brighton, Everton responded to a wall of noise inside Goodison Park to take a 10th-minute lead through Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first goal since August.
But the game turned eight minutes later. Richarlison appealed for a penalty, claiming his shirt was pulled by Kristoffer Ajer, but Michael Oliver waved play on, Brentford went long, and Ivan Toney got goal side of Jarrad Branthwaite and forced the 19-year-old into a challenge which brought a red card.
“When you see that shirt pull, that’s a foul anywhere on the pitch,” said Lampard, who was mystified as to why VAR did not intervene.
