Fans are convinced that Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty during their recent Premier League clash against Liverpool, as a new angle of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s challenge on Jadon Sancho has surfaced.
The incident occurred during the match on Sunday afternoon at Anfield, where Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side was aiming to secure a top-three spot in the league standings.
The controversy stems from a penalty that was awarded to Liverpool earlier in the game. Just before the 30-minute mark, Chelsea defender Levi Colwill fouled Curtis Jones inside the box, leading to a penalty. Mohamed Salah calmly converted the spot-kick to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead.
However, the Chelsea fans’ frustration mounted when a later incident involving Alexander-Arnold and Sancho was not penalized similarly.
During the second half, Alexander-Arnold made a challenge on Sancho inside the Liverpool penalty area. While the referee initially did not award a penalty, the incident went to a VAR check. After a brief review, the decision on the field was upheld, and no penalty was given, leaving many Chelsea supporters outraged.
Following the match, fans took to social media to express their disbelief. One fan shared an alternate angle of the challenge on Sancho and remarked: “VAR didn’t even bother to check Trent’s foul on Sancho inside the penalty area.” Another fan commented, “That’s a penalty but no way given against LiVARpool,” coining the nickname “LiVARpool” to suggest that Liverpool often benefits from controversial VAR decisions.
Other fans joined in the criticism, comparing the two incidents in the game. One user said, “They know what they’re doing. If that tackle from Colwill was a PEN, then this should’ve been a PEN too. More obvious, a lot more violent.” Another fan wrote, “A very clear penalty, Arnold stepped on Sancho’s right leg,” while someone else commented, “VAR checks everything, and they just made the wrong decision that it wasn’t a pen.”
Despite the controversy, Chelsea managed to draw level early in the second half when Nicolas Jackson scored a well-taken goal in the 48th minute.
However, their joy was short-lived as Liverpool responded swiftly just three minutes later. Salah, who had been instrumental throughout the game, found Jones with a perfectly timed pass, allowing the midfielder to score and restore Liverpool’s lead at 2-1.
Pundits weighed in on the match, with former Everton midfielder Leon Osman sharing his thoughts on BBC Radio 5 Live. He criticized Chelsea’s defensive strategy, saying, “Chelsea are trying to play Nunez offside, they are trying to do it so much that they don’t care about tracking the late runners. Salah didn’t have to do an awful lot to find Jones’ run there.”
Meanwhile, Gary Neville, a former Manchester United and England defender, praised Jones’ performance on Sky Sports, stating, “Jones has been involved in everything – he has been Liverpool’s best player by a mile!”
Ultimately, the match ended with Liverpool claiming the victory, but the penalty debate surrounding the Alexander-Arnold challenge continues to rage on among fans.
Many are still adamant that Chelsea should have been awarded a spot-kick and believe that the decision was unjust. The incident has reignited discussions about the consistency of VAR and its influence on key moments in high-stakes matches like this one.
VAR didin’t even bother to check Trent’s foul on Sancho inside the penalty area. #LIVCHE pic.twitter.com/fkNmoHLvUX
— Roy (@ChiefsLeftHand) October 20, 2024
