Keith Hackett: Levi Colwill deserved Chelsea red v Crystal Palace, PGMOL hiding
01/06/2025 01:00 PM
Levi Colwill was fortunate not to be sent off for Chelsea during their draw with Crystal Palace, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that consistency is needed over studs up challenges that catch opponents in the foot or ankle.
Enzo Maresca’s side were left frustrated at Selhurst Park on Saturday (4 January) after being held to a 1-1 draw that means they are now winless in their last four games.
Things could potentially have become even more problematic for Chelsea though had a different decision been taken over one challenge from Colwill in the second-half of that game.
Levi Colwill dodges red card during Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
Things had started well for the visitors at Selhurst Park, with Jadon Sancho producing an excellent assist for Cole Palmer to put them 1-0 up at half-time.
Chelsea were frustrated to be denied the chance to double their advantage from the spot 18 minutes into the second half, when Tyrick Mitchell was not penalised for bringing down Pedro Neto inside the area.
Moments later though, they may have been on the right side of the officials, when Colwill was only booked for a challenge on Chris Richards.
That was in spite of the fact that the defender, who led with his studs, missed the ball and instead landed low on the ankle of the Crystal Palace man.
Hackett believes that the card shown to the Chelsea man by referee Tim Robinson could have been red, and that more consistency is needed from officials over such incidents as the PGMOL is effectively “hiding” and not providing clarity.
Speaking to Football Insider about the decision to book Colwill rather than sending him off, the former referee said:
“I’ll tell you, running through the PGMOL there is an inconsistent approach to the challenges where a player comes in and lands on the lower leg, top of the foot of the opponent.
“Now personally, I think this is a particular offence that they need to get their head around and start to penalise, because it’s happening more and more.
“So at the very least it’s a yellow card because the player’s reckless, but if we have to protect the safety of players, which is part of the referee’s role, then I think in that situation there ought to be a common ground where football generally, the Premier League, managers, and the referees agree that this is an offence that needs to be red carded.
“They’re hiding behind the fact they’re saying ‘well the player’s made a genuine attempt to play the ball’.
“Has he? If he’d made a genuine attempt to get the ball, he’d have got the ball rather than the man. So for me I think these are challenges that ought to be penalised with a red card.That sounds harsh but I don’t buy into this ‘he’s attempted to play the ball and it’s part of football’.
“I just think that the player knows exactly what he’s doing: ‘I’m going to plant my foot on top of the opponent.'”
This winless run has now seen Chelsea slip to fourth in the Premier League table, ten points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played a game more.
For their part Crystal Palace are continuing a resurgence that has seen them lose just once in their last nine Premier League matches, moving the Eagles five points clear of the relegation zone.
In other news, Enzo Maresca has sent a message to Chelsea fans after their winless run continued.
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The post Keith Hackett: Levi Colwill deserved Chelsea red v Crystal Palace, PGMOL hiding appeared first on Football Insider.
