Liverpool dropped two points against Chelsea but they might have the last laugh after all as the Blues could reportedly be hit with a points deduction.
Reece James stopped a certain Liverpool goal right before half-time with a handball which was punished with a straight red card by referee Anthony Taylor.
Antonio Rudiger and Eduoard Mendy were also shown yellow cards for ill-discipline following the penalty that Mohamed Salah converted.
According to the Liverpool Echo, after being charged by the Football Association, Chelsea “could be in danger of being punished with a points deduction having already been hit by the same rap seven times in the previous seven years.”
The Blues have “regularly” been unable to control their players in recent years when confronted with decisions they feel are unfair and after fining them £22,500 in May after an issue against Leicester City, they can escalate their punishment to a points deduction.
It would be a radical reaction to what I personally felt was an understandably emotional response to Chelsea seeing James, one of the most talented fullbacks in the country, sent off in a scenario we rarely see play out.
While you cannot argue the rules, it did feel harsh that James was sent off for handling on the line even if the replays suggest it was an intentional handling of the ball.
🗣 “If you give the pen, you have to give the red. It's unfortunate for Reece James, but that's intentional handball!”
Reece James shown straight red card for denying goalscoring opportunity, as Mohamed Salah restores parity with his 99th Premier League goal#LFC #CFC #LIVCHE
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 28, 2021
The Premier League has done well so far this season with VAR as far as raising the bar in order to intervene is concerned but there are already issues creeping in and it’s a matter of time before Liverpool fans begin to moan about a decision that went against them.
It’s a part of football and I suppose you have to grin and bear it but we saw Manchester United get away with one when Paul Pogba’s tackle clipped Ruben Neves’ shinpad in the buildup to Ruben Neves’ goal vs. Leeds United.
It’s going to be interesting to see how many goals we see in our games like that this season because (and I guess this might just be confirmation bias) but it always feels like Liverpool struggle to get away with naughty tackles.
Maybe it has to do with the Reds winning the Fair Play award year on year but I can’t see any referee in the Premier League giving a decision in Liverpool’s favour like the one that Pogba received at Molineux on Sunday.
https://twitter.com/JamesBigjam/status/1432035927849848838?s=20
The Premier League really is back, isn’t it? Well, not really. The dreaded international break has swooped back in to ruin all the fun but at the very least the transfer window is over so all the pointless rumours have come to an end.
While it was fun to cover them all, deep down every Liverpool fan had their suspicions that there was never going to be another incoming this summer.