Exclusive: Chelsea star 'very fortunate' to avoid red card as Arsenal footage analysed
Yesterday at 03:40 PM
Chelsea star Wesley Fofana was very fortunate to avoid being sent off for a “deliberate stamp” against Arsenal, Keith Hackett has claimed.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the 24-year-old should not have been allowed to “get away with” a challenge like the one he made.
Enzo Maresca’s side were ultimately beaten 1-0 in what was an ill-tempered affair filled with controversy, and Fofana was one of six players booked on the day.
Chelsea have now dropped five points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, who overcame Ipswich 4-2, and are one point above Man City after their 2-2 draw with Brighton.
This comes amid growing pressure on Maresca as they have won just three of their last 12 league games.
Mikel Arteta’s men remain second in the league as a result of their victory, but are 12 points away from Liverpool who look nailed-on to lift the title.
Chelsea stars avoid punishment after ill-tempered Arsenal clash
In a game shrouded by plenty of controversy, Fofana’s incident stands out as a clear misjudgement by referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR official Jarred Gillet.
Footage from the game clearly showed the Chelsea defender stamping on Declan Rice following a foul on the Arsenal midfielder.
However, Kavanagh turned a blind eye to the incident while VAR opted against sending him to review his decision, sparking complaints from the stands at the Emirates.
The Gunners have every right to feel hard done by, after Hackett also told Football Insider that Arsenal were denied a penalty v Chelsea for a hand-ball from Marc Cucurella.
In what was a disappointing game from the officials, both Cucurella and Fofana avoided punishments for clear offenses.
Hackett stunned as Wesley Fofana avoids red card v Arsenal
Following the incident with Rice, Fofana was eventually shown a yellow card for delaying the restart, as he was fortunate to see out the game at the Emirates.
Hackett explained that Fofana was very lucky to avoid a sending off against Arsenal, claiming he should have received a yellow card at a minimum.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he explained: “Fofana of Chelsea can count himself very fortunate he didn’t receive a red card for his deliberate stamp on the Arsenal player.
“Even if they took the view that it was not a red card, there has to be a sanction.
“The player cannot get away with a challenge of this type.”
A red card would have seen Fofana suspended for games against Tottenham, Brentford and Ipswich following the international break in what would have been a major blow.
After he avoided punishment, though, Maresca is expecting to have the majority of his key players back with Cole Palmer also set to return from a minor injury.
Chelsea will be looking to get back to winning ways after the break to secure their European qualification and ease the pressure on the manager’s position.
For more Chelsea and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.
The post Exclusive: Chelsea star 'very fortunate' to avoid red card as Arsenal footage analysed appeared first on Football Insider.
