Premier League legend Alan Shearer was left stunned after Chelsea star Liam Delap almost started celebrating a goal that never was. He urged the young striker to put the ball into the back of the net and then worry about the rest.
Delap put pressure on Hull City goalkeeper Dillon Phillips, which saw the Championship star's attempt to clear the ball hit the striker and come off the crossbar. The Chelsea star believed it was a goal, but the ball had only bounced off the line.
Speaking on BBC One, Shearer praised Delap for closing down the Hull City keeper and forcing an error. However, he was left surprised when the former Ipswich Town star started celebrating and said:
"There he is there [Delap], closing down, he does really, really well. But he just sort of walks to it, ambles to it, takes his time... he's even having a look around. I'm thinking, 'Go on, get on the end of it, show some urgency'. Then he's having another look around again to put his arms in the air. Just put it in the net, and then there's no argument! Goodness me. What are you waiting for?"
Delap spoke to the media after the match, saying that he saw the ball cross the line, but it was not the case. He admitted that it was a lesson for him and said:
"I swear, I almost ran off. I thought it was in! It was just stupid. I should have just put it in. But these things happen, and I'll learn from it for next time."
Liam Delap did manage to recover in the game, getting three assists as Chelsea ran off 4-0 winners at Hull City to seal a place in the FA Cup Fifth Round.
Liam Rosenior praises Liam Delap after Chelsea win at Hull City
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was full of praise for Liam Delap after their 4-0 win at Hull City. He claimed it was a top performance from the Englishman, saying that he pushed the teammates to do better and said:
"To be a number nine, especially in a system that we play, it's not always about yourself. It's about bringing other people into play. It's about sometimes making sacrifice runs so other players get the space."
Chelsea face Burnley next in the Premier League before taking on Arsenal. The Blues have won eight of their 11 matches under the new manager.