EPL: Everton demand apology after controversial call against Man City

Everton have written to the Premier League to demand an apology after they were controversially denied a penalty against Manchester City on Saturday.

The Toffees were left incensed after the ball hit the arm of City midfielder Rodri in the area and referee Paul Tierney did not give a spot-kick.

Video assistant referee Chris Kavanagh did not overturn the original decision or ask Tierney to look at the pitchside monitor as he felt there was no obvious error.

Multiple reports say Everton have made a formal complaint over the standard of officiating in recent games and want an apology from the Premier League.

Everton coach Ashley Cole was shown a yellow card for his protests after the final whistle and manager Frank Lampard said his three-year-old daughter would have seen it was a penalty.

“There is no doubt, there is no probably to it,” Lampard told Sky Sports.

“The decision is incredible, incredible, and that loses us the opportunity to get what we deserved.

“That’s a VAR call. That’s Chris Kavanagh, I spoke to the referee and they know it is a penalty, the question is that is it offside and it wasn’t.

“That’s the reason we have VAR. It wouldn’t have needed more than five seconds to know it was a penalty. He [Kavanagh] should have either told the referee to give it or told him to go look at it.

“We’ve lost a point because of a professional who cannot do his job right. You start searching for whys and I can’t think why. It is so incompetent to get it wrong.

“Pep [Guardiola] will know, Everton fans will know, Man City fans will know, it was the clearest penalty you could give: arm is out – great, below the sleeve – great, I was waiting for the penalty.

“Incompetence at best, at worst who knows? I’ll wait for the statement or apology they do when things are wrong but it will mean nothing.”

The decision came with Everton trailing 1-0 late in the game, and defeat leaves them a point above the relegation zone.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted on Monday that it was a penalty if there was no offside in the build-up.

“The pass from Dele Alli looks offside for Richarlison, if it’s not offside it’s a penalty.”