- Malo Gusto escaped a red card despite his high tackle on Willian’s ankle
- Chelsea then recorded a narrow victory over their London rivals at Stamford Bridge
- CHRIS SUTTON: Chelsea’s progress is too slow… they won’t be good wine until they spend money AGAIN – It all starts
Fulham boss Marco Silva has complained about the decision not to show Malo Gusto a red card for a challenge on Willian during the first half of the Cottager’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues cruised to a narrow victory on Saturday afternoon thanks to a penalty at the end of the first period from Cole Palmer.
And despite the threat late in the Premier League match, the visitors were left aggrieved by the non-call following Gusto’s tackle on Willian, which left the Brazilian writhing in pain as the defender’s studs clamped down on his ankle.
Referee Anthony Taylor produced a yellow card, with VAR deciding it deserved nothing further, but Silva insisted the tackle should have resulted in the Chelsea player receiving his equal orders when the match was still level.
‘Derby, because we expected a lot of challenges.” He said after the game. ‘Chelsea started better than us. After the first 15 minutes we had our moments.
Anthony Taylor showed Chelsea defender Malo Gusto a yellow card after his late tackle on Willian
Marco Silva opined that the tackle on Willian was a clear red card and claimed that it is difficult to understand the inconsistency in the refereeing.
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“We started to create some problems. We have to talk about the red card, it has to be a red card for Gusto, it is difficult to understand why things are not consistent. For me it is a clear red card.’
The issue of consistency has been a topic of intense debate this season, with the likes of Curtis Jones and Yves Bissouma receiving red cards for similar challenges earlier in the season.
Marcus Rashford was also given his marching orders after putting his foot on an opponent, although that incident took place during a Champions League match against FC Copenhagen.
Silva’s side continued to put on a tight match against the Blues, setting up a grandstand finish with a series of chances in the final minutes of the match. But in the end they left their rivals’ house with the familiar feeling of defeat. ‘
In the second half we had some chances, Chelsea had chances, the game was more open.” The Portuguese boss added. ‘The players gave everything. The support was impressive outside the home.
‘I spoke for the fourth official. It was for the VAR, in the referee’s opinion, that the referee decided to give a yellow card.
Cole Palmer’s successful penalty in the first half was enough to give Chelsea victory over Fulham
“It’s hard to accept, it’s a disappointing result for us, we want to fight for something else. At times we did very well. Some decisions made it complicated.’
The result leaves the Cottagers in 13th place, eight points above the relegation zone. They now have an 11-day break before returning to action against Liverpool as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
As for Chelsea, the Blues recorded their third consecutive Premier League win and climbed above Newcastle and Manchester United into eighth place. The victory moved Mauricio Pochettino’s side within three points of the top six.