Scandal in Sunderland–Chelsea match! Palmer brought down in the box, but referee refused to award a penalty. VIDEO
The match between Sunderland and Chelsea in the 10th round of the English Premier League became the focus of a major refereeing controversy. In the 22nd minute, Cole Palmer ended up on the ground after a collision with two home players.
The Chelsea player was attempting to advance toward the opposition penalty area when two Sunderland defenders stopped him with a forceful challenge. The London club's players demanded a penalty, while replays appeared to suggest that the contact may have occurred inside the box.
Nevertheless, the referee did not point to the spot. After a VAR review, the officiating team also upheld the initial decision. As a result, Chelsea were not given the opportunity to take a penalty kick.
The incident sparked a fierce reaction on social media. Chelsea fans voiced their frustration with the officials, while some users called the decision a refereeing error. However, no foul was ultimately deemed to have occurred in the incident.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
