Everton vs Coventry City; Premier League
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Everton vs Coventry City. Premier League.
Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton 3
- T Barry (56th minute, 61st minute)
- K Dewsbury-Hall (81st minute)
Coventry City 1
- Y Gboho (52nd minute)
Everton 3-1 Coventry: Thierno Barry gets two goals and an assist in comeback win as Coventry see three VAR incidents go against them
Report and free highlights as Everton beat Coventry 3-1; Frank Lampard's side had two penalties waved away by VAR either side of half-time, including one for a James Tarkowski hair pull; Yann Gboho put Coventry ahead, but Thierno Barry scored two and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall made it 3-1
Friday 6 November 2026 22:45, UK
Thierno Barry continued his fine form as his two goals and an assist fired Everton to a comeback 3-1 win over Coventry - who had three big VAR calls go against them on Merseyside.
Everton's only available striker scored his ninth and 10th goals of the season in similar fashion - nodding in two headers at the back post after Yann Gboho had given Coventry the lead at the start of an epic second half.
But that was only one part of the story, as officiating controversy dominated the game. In the first half, James Tarkowski avoided punishment for an apparent hair pull on Caleb Yirenkyi in the penalty box.
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VAR Tim Wood checked and cleared Tarkowski's challenge on the Coventry midfielder - and the technology was needed again after half-time.
Taiwo Awoniyi ran through towards the box and went down under Vitalii Mykolenko's challenge. VAR checked the foul and deemed there was contact - but outside the penalty area.
These two big calls initially didn't matter as Gboho scored his first Coventry goal in fine fashion, slaloming through challenges and poking past Jordan Pickford.
But four minutes later, Barry took over. First, he headed at the back post from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's cross before a second, similar goal had more controversy attached.
Barry bundled the winner home amid accusations from Coventry he used his hand in the move. VAR said there was no conclusive angle which showed the Everton forward handled the ball in. VAR Wood said: "Okay, that's [hit] his side, that's definitely not hand. Confirming on-field decision of goal."
Barry then turned provider to seal the result - as his eye-of-the-needle pass released Dewsbury-Hall to fire in from a tight angle. The Everton midfielder responding well to Thomas Tuchel leaving him out of the England squad earlier on Friday.
Coventry remain two points above the relegation zone and could fall into the bottom three come the end of the weekend. Everton have jumped into fifth - leapfrogging rivals Liverpool for 48 hours at least.
Lampard: VAR didn't do its job, it went against us today
Coventry head coach Frank Lampard to Sky Sports:
"The first-half decision on Tarkowski got checked. And seeing it back, he pulls on Caleb's hair while competing with Ethan [Pinnock].
"I thought the rules were clear. I know they've changed the rules so it's no red card, I get that too. But he's pulling on his hair and [Yirenkyi] can't get his momentum to jump, I think it's a foul and a penalty and they decided no.
"I thought the one on Taiwo running through - it's a clear foul that the referee doesn't give in-game. I can't believe that because it's clear. Maybe he waited for VAR because it was on the borderline.
"But as I see it, Taiwo's foot is entering the box and his knee and the back of his knee is on the line of the box, which is a penalty. That goes against us with VAR.
"And then Barry's second goal comes off his hand. I hate to sound like a moaner. It's a football match and if you win the game, that can happen here. I've worked here and know the momentum swings in the game. And I'm not trying to talk about the circumstances of the actual football.
"But when big decisions change games, they absolutely do. It's disappointing. VAR is there for that and it didn't do its job."
On Barry's second goal: "His last touch flicks it in the net. It was a really quick check a well. People may disagree, but it's my opinion."
What is the guidance on hair pulling?
There was no communication from the Premier League Match Centre on if the hair pull was reviewed in this game, but there was new guidance from the Premier League this summer, which reads: "A red card will be issued when there is a clear and deliberate action to pull an opponent's hair with excessive force and/or brutality.
"A yellow card will be issued if the action is deemed to be without excessive force and/or brutality.
"Referees will enhance recognition of clear holding actions that have a clear material impact, and/or non-footballing holding actions with no place on the football pitch. This includes penalising defenders where they are clearly only focused on opponents and making a holding action that is impactful on the attacker's ability to play or challenge for the ball."
Redknapp: Everton got lucky!
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp on Friday Night Football:
"Sometimes you need things to go your way. You need a little bit of luck and there's no doubt they had that today.
"The Yirenkyi one should have been a penalty, the Awoniyi one should have been a penalty - the VAR brushed that aside too quickly as his foot is definitely on the line.
"That could have changed the complexity of the game. But it didn't. And Everton got the points.
"We've looked at [the second Barry goal] forensically and I do think it touches his hand. But when you're asking VAR to intervene and disallow the goal, it's difficult.
"I watched it for maybe five to ten minutes and I've come to the conclusion that I think it was, but I understand why VAR didn't give it because it's not clear and obvious enough
"It brushes his fingers. It's accidental as well, does it mean to hit his hands?
"It does divert it a little bit, but if we're going to get to that point where we're forensically looking at every single thing, it becomes hard. The frustration Frank Lampard will have is inevitable."
The key moments from Hill Dickinson Stadium
9: GOOD SAVE! Carl Rushworth denies Mykolenko from the edge of the box with a smart save.
13: BIG CHANCE! Harrison Armstrong flicks ball over Rushworth after goalmouth scramble but can't head the ball over the line amid outstanding defending from Victor Torp.
37: GOOD SAVE! Jack Rudoni releases Tatshuhiro Sakamoto in the penalty area and his low drive is kept out by Jordan Pickford.
39: NO RED CARD! Tarkowski jumps for the ball and VAR checks an alleged hair pull on Yirenkyi, plus a handball in the same jump. VAR clears both calls.
41: CLOSE! Rudoni goes on a mazy run and fires past the far post with a drive from the edge of the box.
49: NO PENALTY! Awoniyi bursts through and goes down under Mykolenko's challenge. VAR says no penalty - as it was outside the box.
52: GOAL! Gboho twists and turns in the penalty area before poking past Pickford.
57: GOAL! Barry heads in at the back post from Dewsbury-Hall's cross to level the game.
61: GOAL! Barry scores a carbon copy goal at the back post to give Everton the lead. But Coventry felt Barry handled it in, with VAR saying there was "no conclusive evidence."
66: BIG SAVE! Dewsbury Hall tries to curl in a third but Rushworth makes a solid stop.
81: GOAL! Barry slides a ball through for Dewsbury-Hall - who fires in at Rushworth's near post from a tight angle.
