Midfielder saw red just a week after skipper Reece James was sent off at Newcastle
CHELSEA fans reckon they’re suffering from a cursed captain’s armband.
That’s after “brainless” Conor Gallagher became the latest Blues skipper to see red this season.
The England midfielder was sent for an early bath in Sunday’s game against Brighton.
Chelsea cruised into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill.
But Brighton pulled one back before half-time through Facundo Bounanotte.
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And moments later, Gallagher was given a second yellow card for a reckless foul to leave Chelsea’s hopes of victory hanging by a thread.
The Stamford Bridge crowd groaned as stand-in captain Gallagher trudged off the field, leaving his side with a monumental second-half job.
And Chelsea fans reckon the captaincy is cursed after permanent skipper Reece James was sent off in last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.
He has also suffered fresh injury problems ever since replacing Cesar Azpilicueta as Chelsea’s go-to leader.
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And vice-skipper Ben Chilwell is also a long-term casualty, leading some fans to believe their armband is bringing bad luck to the Bridge.
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One said: “Is the captain armband now a curse?”
Another declared: “The captain curse since Azpilicueta strikes.”
One noted: “Being a Chelsea captain is now a curse, you’re either injured or sent off.”
Another added: “Curse of the Chelsea captain!”
But some fans reckoned Gallagher’s exit was purely down to his reckless actions, with one saying: “What a brainless tackle.”
Another declared: “Why pick up the yellows when we were two goals up, totally uncalled for.”
One noted: “That had to be the most brain dead thing to do leading a game.”
Another added: “No way Gallagher pulled a shocked face for his second yellow.”
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Luckily for Gallagher, Chelsea held firm in the second half and even bagged a third goal, with Fernandez netting another strike through a penalty.
And Mauricio Pochettino will now have to plan for the next match against Manchester United without Gallagher in his thoughts.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk