FUMING Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says Manchester United captain Harry Maguire should’ve seen red for kicking out at Michy Batshuayi.
Despite a VAR check, Maguire went unpunished for the first-half incident – before scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Fuming Frank Lampard believes Harry Maguire should have been sent off for kicking out at Michy BatshuayiCredit: Sky Sports
And Lampard was far from impressed at the decision, having witnessed the incident just a couple of feet away, as well as the two goals that the Blues had disallowed.
He told Sky Sports: “Harry Maguire should have been sent off, that’s clear, and that obviously changes the game. [Cesar] Azpilicueta gets shoved so the goal should stand. [Olivier] Giroud was a toenail offside and that one I understand. That’s the rule now.”
It was another incident where the referee – on this occasion Anthony Taylor – failed to use the monitor.
“I don’t get why they aren’t looking at the monitor,” added the Chelsea boss, “It should be used.”
Maguire, who powered home a brilliant header, claimed he did nothing wrong.
He said: “I know I caught him and I felt he was going to fall on me and my natural reaction was to straighten my leg to stop him.
“It wasn’t a kick out and there was no intent. I think it’s the right decision.
“I knew I’d caught him but that I had no intent to hurt him. It was just a natural reaction.
“I apologised to him and it was nice that the referee saw sense.”
Maguire, who scored the second in a 2-0 win, claimed his innocenceCredit: PA:Press Association
Despite his claims of innocence, Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane both agreed it had to be a red for Maguire, as did former Premier League referee Mark Halsey.
Halsey told SunSport: “It is a clear red card for violent conduct.
“Son got a three-match ban for less but I would be very surprised if the FA took retrospective action because referee Anthony Taylor and VAR official Chris Kavanagh decided against sending off Maguire.”
In the studio, Carragher said: “It’s a red card. The fact that the Chelsea bench get up and because it is an English manager in Lampard and it is an English player in Maguire, maybe they don’t complain as much as they should do against Maguire.
“That has to go to VAR, but with referees and VAR it is all about consistency and that’s the thing that frustrates you. Harry Maguire is a very lucky boy.”
And Keane added: “Very lucky. A lucky boy. I didn’t agree that Son’s was a red card for Tottenham but it went to VAR and got given and with Maguire, maybe it is his personality because he is normally a calm guy that it isn’t given, but he definitely kicks out.
“It’s a red card. Maguire’s personality has probably helped him. Is he a nasty player? Probably not. The argument is all about consistency. If Son was sent off then so should Maguire.”
It was a difficult night for Chelsea, who also had two goals disallowedCredit: AFP or licensors
Lampard said the defeat and performance was tough to take.
“Tough to take on lots of levels, some footballing, some others,” he said.
“It’s football and it’s life. I’m not complaining about any work ethic from the lads, their heads are down in there. It’s a tough night for us.
“It’s not a 2-0 game. We have a feeling of groundhog day in the stadium. I don’t know how many shots we had but it was a lot.
“If we don’t score, you can’t win football games. They get clearer every week. We are fourth and the season starts here. People didn’t expect us to be fourth but we are.
“We are fourth because of some of the good stuff we have done and because of the nature of the league with everyone taking points off each other.
“I’m not soft, I can criticise the team. We can bemoan our luck sometimes yes but if we are not finishing chances we can’t win games. I feel like a broken record.
“It was a tough night for Batshuayi, strikers are judged on goals, it’s a fact. We need goals from forward areas and we haven’t had that this season. We can’t rely on Tammy Abraham all season. You get judged as an attacker on goals.”
Chelsea face Tottenham at home on Saturday before welcoming German giants Bayern Munich next Tuesday for their Champions League last-16 clash.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
