Dominic Calvert-Lewin avoids red card against Chelsea after VAR check for Marc Cucurella hair pull amid ruling | OneFootball

Lisandro Martinez was sent-off for a similar incident involving the Leeds striker

Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin escaped a red card following a VAR check for a potential pull of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella’s hair.

Mid-way through the first half of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium, play was paused momentarily as VAR wanted to take a closer look at the incident.

The fan outrage is in relation to Lisandro Martinez being sent-off for pulling Calvert-Lewin’s hair during Man United’s loss to Leeds earlier in the month.

Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick balled the decision "one of the worst" he has seen, but the FA have since ruled that hair pulling "ought not to be tolerated".

A statement reads: "In the wider interests of football 'hair pulling' ought not to be tolerated and should be discouraged through consistent punishment."

Chelsea took the lead shortly before the aforementioned incident as Enzo Fernandez - captain in the absence of Reece James - timed his run into the box to perfection and headed home Pedro Neto’s cross.

Calum McFarlane is in the Chelsea dugout this afternoon after being placed in charge until the end of the season following the sacking of Liam Rosenior.

The winners of this semi-final will be back at Wembley next month to face Manchester City after they came from behind to beat Southampton on Saturday thanks to late goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez.