Controversy Surfaces as Dominic Calvert-Lewin Pulls Hair in FA Cup Semi-Final

More controversy is set to ensue after Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was involved in a new hair-pulling incident, this time in an FA Cup semi-final.

This comes while Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez serves his three-match suspension for violent conduct after tugging the Englishman’s hair in a fiery clash at Old Trafford on April 13.

No action was taken after the incident, which will surely cause uproar on the red side of Manchester.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair pull

Two weeks after having his hair pulled, resulting in the sending off and suspension of Manchester United’s Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been on the other side of a similar incident.

In the 24th minute of the game between Leeds United and Chelsea at Wembley, play was stopped to check on a complaint from the Blues camp. Leeds United forward Calvert-Lewin had pulled on Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella’s hair.

But after a minute or so’s delay, referee Jarred Gillett waved play on, as VAR deemed the hair tug not enough to hand Calvert-Lewin a punishment.

Former Premier League referee Graham Scott told The Athletic following the incident, “The last thing that VAR Paul Howard would have wanted in the FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Leeds United was a hair-pulling incident.

“Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s contact on Marc Cucurella was fleeting and surely fell short of the level of contact required for a red card.

“When Leeds and Chelsea met in the 1970 cup final, there were multiple brutal tackles, a punch-up and a retaliatory stamp by one player on another. None was deemed worthy of a yellow card, let alone a red.

”Now we find ourselves debating whether a player should be dismissed and banned for three matches for a fleeting tug on an opponent’s hair. Progress? I don’t think so.”

It’s a strange decision, and indeed a verdict from former referee Scott, given Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez was punished for a similar pull of the hair on Calvert-Lewin himself.

Manchester United fans will feel disappointed

Given the FA heavily stuck to their guns after Lisandro Martinez’s hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the club will feel let down that the same standards haven’t been met in the FA Cup semi-final.

While it could be argued that there was less contact in the Chelsea vs Leeds incident, it’s an extremely similar pull of the hair.

United interim head coach Michael Carrick labelled the decision to send Martinez off as ”shocking,” and will surely feel just as outraged while watching that incident from his home.

After United’s appeal over the red card and three-game suspension was rejected, there will now be further questions asked of the PGMOL as to why Calvert-Lewin was not sent off on Sunday afternoon.

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