Everton manager Sean Dyche’s frustration from losing an uninspiring FA Cup fourth-round tie 2-1 at home to Luton was directed at the lack of VAR intervention for the crucial first goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin fell to the floor as his loss of balance was aided by a push in the back from former Toffees midfielder Ross Barkley and, in the space behind him at the near post, defender Vitalii Mykolenko diverted Alfie Doughty’s corner past his own goalkeeper.
VAR ruled there was not enough in Barkley’s intervention to overturn the goal but Dyche was not happy.
“I don’t think I was any more frustrated than I normally am. I was more frustrated with the first goal and two hands in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s back,” he said.
“You can say he’s gone down light, which he probably did, but I’ve seen penalties given for treading on someone’s toe.”
Jack Harrison equalised in the second half after goalkeeper Tim Krul allowed his low shot to escape his grasp but deep into added time Cauley Woodrow fired home in a goalmouth scramble following another corner.
“The game was a scrappy, awkward, ugly affair. They got the best side of it with two set-pieces – it felt like that type of game,” added Dyche.
“When we scored to get equal we had 15 minutes when we looked the side more likely but we conceded a soft corner at the end and conceded a goal from a bit of a ricochet.
“Fair play to them, they found their way through it and got the win.”
Luton boss Rob Edwards admitted not having a replay played a big part in their joyous reaction at the final whistle.
“It was a big reason for the celebrations at the end,” he said.
“It is a competition we value and want to go as far as possible. I’m so pleased for the lads.
“It will give us belief and confidence, you can see there is belief in this group of players. We are getting better.”
Woodrow played on with a suspected broken hand after Everton centre-back James Tarkowski fell on him but his resilience was rewarded with a first goal since August.
“I felt it crack, so I was in a bit of shock for a while,” the forward told BBC Sport.
“I’m really pleased with myself because I have been waiting a long time for a goal.”
Sunderland go top of Championship despite late draw with Millwall
Sunderland leapfrogged Sheffield United back to the top of the Championship table after their 1-1 draw with Millwall on Saturday.
Aaron Connelly had given Sunderland the lead just 10 minutes in, benefitting from a clearance to beat Lukas Jensen on the volley and claiming his first goal for the club before the players were taken off the field for half an hour due to two medical emergencies in the crowd.
Millwall were a different side when they came back out onto the pitch, with Anthony Patterson having to pull off a string of fine saves to preserve Sunderland's lead.
The hosts eventually got a deserved goal in the 93rd minute though, as Femi Azeez stabbed home Aidomo Emakhi's cross for his first Millwall goal.
It is a fourth consecutive draw for Sunderland, who sit above Sheffield United on goal difference, while Millwall stay eighth.
Elsewhere, Middlesbrough moved back into the playoff places with a thumping 6-2 victory over Oxford United.
A hat-trick from Emmanuel Latte Lath, a double from Finn Azaz and another from substitute Tommy Conway saw Boro score six goals in an away league game for the first time in 64 years.
Greg Leigh had given the hosts a surprise lead, and though Dane Scarlett halved the deficit with his second-half goal to make it 4-2, they could not mount a comeback, leaving them 18th in the table, while Middlesbrough jumped up to fifth.
Meanwhile, Luton Town eased some of the pressure on manager Rob Edwards with their 1-0 win over struggling Hull City to move out of the drop zone.
Mark McGuiness scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute, brilliantly volleying his maiden Hatters goal in to help Luton move up to 16th.
Hull could not find a winner, despite Joao Pedro hitting the post in the first half, and they dropped into the relegation zone as their winless run extended to eight matches.
Norwich City are on a run of seven games without a win after playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw with West Brom.
Emiliano Marcondes and an own goal from Torbjorn Heggem gave Norwich the lead after Mason Holgate's early opener, but Josh Maja's 10th goal of the campaign cancelled out their lead just before half-time to earn them a point.
Everton 0-0 Brentford: Frank's side hold on after Norgaard red
Ten-man Brentford held Everton to a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park for their first away point in the Premier League this season.
A red card to Christian Norgaard meant the visitors played the whole duration of the second half with a numerical disadvantage, but they kept Everton in check for a well-deserved point.
Mark Flekken was on top form to twice deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the break, though Yoane Wissa squandered a great chance for Brentford prior to Norgaard’s dismissal for a challenge on Jordan Pickford.
Yet Sean Dyche’s team, who have struggled for goals all season, failed to make their advantage count after the break, with a long-range strike from Idrissa Gueye and a handful of opportunities for substitute Beto the closest they came to breaking the deadlock.
Everton sit 15th with 11 points from 12 matches, while Brentford moved at least temporarily, into 10th.
The Toffees have a tough December coming up, starting with a trip to Ruben Amorim's Manchester United, while Brentford face Leicester City in their next outing.
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