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The referee decided against sending Moises Caicedo off during Spurs’ 4-3 defeat to Chelsea.
Tottenham extended their run without a win to four games on Sunday afternoon as they lost 4-3 to Chelsea. However, Spurs will feel hard done by after Blues midfielder Moises Caicedo wasn’t sent off for a robust challenge on Pape Matar Sarr after just 33 minutes, with the score at 2-1 to Tottenham.
Caicedo came lunging in whilst Romeo Lavia attempted to win the ball back from Sarr and the decision had to be assessed by VAR, who ultimately decided there wasn’t excessive force used during the challenge, meaning Caicedo didn’t receive a red.
Pundit Jamie Carragher said after the game that he was surprised by the decision and believes the red should have been awarded. He said on Sky Sports: “He (Caicedo) just comes in nowhere near the ball. For me, it just seemed like the most obvious red card you would see.
“He’s a very very lucky boy and that’s something that I would imagine Postecoglou would look back on at the end of the game.”
Should the officials have sent Caicedo off with Spurs already winning 2-1, it would have been a tougher task for Chelsea to come back as they did in the game.
Former Premier League referee speaks against the decision
Carragher wasn’t the only one who thought that the challenge was a clear red card. Former Premier League official Keith Hackett said on X: “Jamie Carragher is spot on - this is a red card challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent.
“You do not have to be travelling at speed to apply excessive force. You have to also take into account the speed of the opponent and the force of two players coming together. It’s a red card and sadly a big mistake.”
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Hackett officiated in 61 Premier League games during his time as a referee and also boasts World Cup and Champions League experience. For him to go against the officials is a big call.
Chelsea’s poor disciplinary record
The Blues will look back on the decision feeling grateful that the referee decided against sending off Caicedo, who has been excellent for Enzo Maresca’s side so far this season. However, the Chelsea boss will be aware of his side’s poor discipline.
Chelsea have more yellow cards than any other Premier League team so far this season picking up 50 yellows, which is 3.3 on average per match. This is something the Chelsea boss will be keen to improve. However, despite their plethora of yellow cards, Chelsea are yet to receive a red card.
Chelsea now sit second in the Premier League, just four points behind Liverpool after recent wins against Southampton and Aston Villa prior to the Tottenham match. They face a Europa Conference League clash against Astana on Thursday night.
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