Manchester City will be counting themselves lucky after leaving Goodison Park with all three points. Everton on the other hand will be frustrated to not have won a late penalty after a Rodri handball.
Everton were the better side in the first half under Frank Lampard's new pressing style. City came into their own in the second and came close to scoring on several occasions.
They'd been knocking at the door but Everton stayed resilient, only for Michael Keane to put his wrong foot forward and deflect a ball into Phil Foden's path to score.
Everton were denied a penalty after Rodri was deemed to have not deliberately handled the ball ❌ pic.twitter.com/XqpQ2uiRTb
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 26, 2022
The Rodri Handball Incident
Things got interesting at the 84 minute mark when Richarlison was put through on goal by Deli Ali. Ederson got his body to the shot, but it spun back at Man City's Rodri.
It looked like a fairly clear Rodri handball inside the City penalty area but no VAR check was made. After the game, Frank Lampard spoke to Sky Sports about the penalty.
"I was calm. I wasn't shouting and ranting at him, I wanted to know if it was offside in the buildup. If that happens it negates the penalty shout. It wasn't, I've been told that, clear."
🗣 “I’ve got a three-year-old daughter at home who could tell you that’s a penalty.”
Frank Lampard made his thoughts clear on Rodri’s controversial ‘handball’ 🖐 pic.twitter.com/JIZXYFqhcl— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 26, 2022
Lampard elaborated:
The referee says he was on the other side of it. Fine, I get that. So go to VAR who have a minute and a half or two minutes to look at it. To think that Chris Kavanagh has not given that penalty, that strikes him on the arm, midway, strikers him when his arm is not in a natural position. I've got a 3 year old daughter at home who could tell you that was a penalty. I'm not being funny.
We're in a position where we're fighting at the bottom of the table and Manchester City are fighting to win leagues. So everything is crucial. When you have a system to have a view on a penalty that is the most easiest decision you're going to get is a handball. Easy.
I don't know what has to happen as a reflection on that. It's a clear, clear (penalty). You've got two minutes to digest a handball.
In the Sky studio, former Chelsea player Karen Duggan was convinced it was a penalty and couldn't see any argument otherwise. "For me, it was a penalty," she said.
Micah Richards was in agreement with Duggan and couldn't understand the referee not going to VAR to check the Rodri handball. "The players' face says it all. It's a handball. It's below the t-shirt line."
🗣 "It's a handball!"
Micah Richards believes the decision to not award a penalty for Rodri's handball was 'ridiculous' and has 'cost Everton dearly' 🖐 pic.twitter.com/xqMY3n9KeB— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 26, 2022
Richards then made a statement about VAR:
It's just ridiculous. We've talked about VAR so many times and as of late they've got so many things right. But today, they've got it wrong and it's cost Everton dearly. It's costing everyone. It's costing everyone involved in the Premier League, of course, but today, Everton, forget Liverpool for a minute and what they're doing. Everton need to stay up. They got a penalty and they get a draw out of the game. It enhances their chances.
What's happened with VAR now. Because everyone said they don't like VAR. When VAR happens, if it's not done really quick and it takes like 3, 4, 5 minutes and everyone's moaning about it. Instead of actually just taking your time and making the right decision and moving on. What's the excuse they came up with today?
"Not clear enough evidence to show that conclusively it was a handball," David Jones replied. "How can that not be clear enough evidence?" Richards responded.
The loss means Everton stay in 17th in the Premier League table and are just one point off Burnley in the relegation zone.
It also meant Man City have pulled further ahead at the top of the table, with six points the difference now between them and Liverpool in second.
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