Lampard: Even my kid could tell you that was a penalty

FRANK LAMPARD accused VAR official Chris Kavanagh of ‘incompetence at best’ after Everton were controversially denied a late penalty last night.

The Toffees boss was incensed that Kavanagh did not rule that Manchester City midfielder Rodri had deliberately handled inside his own box (below).

City left Goodison Park with three points after Phil Foden’s winner but

Lampard was left ruing bad luck in an explosive outburst.

‘We’ve lost a point by a professional who can’t do his job right,’ Lampard said. ‘It’s incompetence at best. At worst, who knows?

‘That’s Chris Kavanagh. It’s completely on Chris. The referee [Paul Tierney] on the day knows it was a penalty.

[But] he couldn’t see it.

‘The decision is incredible, incredible that loses us the opportunity to get what we deserved. It wouldn’t have needed more than five seconds to know it was a penalty. He should have told the referee to give it or to look at it.

‘They have not given that as a penalty when it strikes him on the arm, in an unnatural position. I have a three-year-old daughter at home who could tell you that was a penalty.’

Everton coach Ashley Cole was yellowcarded for remonstrating with Tierney at full-time and last night’s loss leaves them just one point clear of the relegation zone.

Lampard added: ‘I’ll wait for the statement or apology they do when things are wrong, but it will mean nothing. I was calm, I was not shouting and ranting at him. I wanted to know if offside in the build-up but I have been told it wasn’t in the build-up.’

Pep Guardiola insisted that while he had not seen the incident back, his impression was that an offside decision had been made. Richarlison collected possession in the build-up and may have been beyond the last man.

‘It was offside,’ Guardiola said. ‘There was VAR and the action was offside. I didn’t see the image.

‘We did everything to win. When you have that the manager will be alongside the players, that is for sure. We have to try again and try again and in the end, Phil was there and scores.

‘We were searching. We tried and we were there. We earned the good fortune. Everton has top players. Their quality is there, we knew it.’