Calvert-Lewin ESCAPES red for Cucurella hair-pull

Calvert-Lewin - Cucurella - Martinez

Dominic Calvert-Lewin found himself at the centre of a refereeing storm during Leeds United's FA Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea at Wembley. The striker appeared to pull the hair of Blues defender Marc Cucurella, yet escaped any formal punishment despite a lengthy VAR review. The incident comes just two weeks after Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez was sent off for the same offence on Calvert-Lewin in a Premier League clash against Leeds.

Controversy at Wembley

The high-stakes FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Leeds was ignited by a moment of controversy midway through the first half. With the Blues leading 1-0 courtesy of an Enzo Fernandez header, a long ball aimed towards Calvert-Lewin resulted in a physical tangle with Marc Cucurella.

As the Spanish defender moved across the striker, Calvert-Lewin appeared to grab a handful of the Chelsea man's distinctive hair. Referee Jarred Gillett and his assistants initially missed the flashpoint, allowing play to continue as Cucurella slumped to the turf.

However, the game was eventually halted for a VAR check, leaving Calvert-Lewin to nervously await his fate while pleading his innocence to the match officials. To the surprise of many watching, the Leeds forward was permitted to stay on the pitch without even receiving a yellow card.

Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League

Man Utd fans left fuming

The lack of action against Calvert-Lewin sparked immediate outrage, particularly among Manchester United supporters. Only two weeks prior, United defender Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card for the same offence during a Premier League encounter at Old Trafford. Ironically, the victim on that occasion was Calvert-Lewin himself.

Social media was flooded with complaints regarding the perceived lack of consistency from PGMOL. One frustrated fan noted: "Two weeks ago Lisandro Martinez was given red card for touching Calvert Lewin’s hair. Today he did exactly same thing to Cucurella and wasn’t booked because he’s not Manchester United player."

The Martinez precedent

The Martinez incident remains a sore spot for the Red Devils, who saw their defender handed a three-match ban for violent conduct. During the game, Martinez appeared to lose his composure during a physical tussle, leading to a VAR intervention that resulted in his dismissal.

United attempted to appeal the suspension, but the FA disciplinary panel dismissed their case. In the written report, the panel explained that while other forms of violent conduct might carry a higher risk of physical harm, "In the wider interests of football 'hair pulling' ought not to be tolerated and should be discouraged through consistent punishment".

This statement has now come back to haunt the authorities following the leniency shown to Calvert-Lewin.

Newcastle United v Manchester United - Premier League

Carrick's frustration compounded

The decision to let the Leeds striker off the hook has only intensified the feeling of injustice at Old Trafford. Following the original Martinez red card, United manager Michael Carrick labelled the decision "one of the worst" he had seen, as his side eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat against the Yorkshire club. The subsequent ban has left United short-handed during a crucial stretch of the season.

It remains to be seen if Calvert-Lewin faces any retroactive punishment, with Leeds eventually falling to a 1-0 loss against Chelsea to exit the FA Cup on Sunday.