Graham Poll thinks Tottenham should’ve had three players sent off against Chelsea.
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll has told the Daily Mail that he thinks Tottenham should have had three players sent off against Chelsea on Monday evening.
Spurs went into the game at Stamford Bridge knowing that only a win could keep their title hopes alive, and they looked to be on course for a victory after Harry Kane and Son Heung-min had put them 2-0 up by half time.
However, Spurs collapsed in the second half, as Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard both found the back of the net to haul Chelsea back into the game and earn a 2-2 draw.
The draw meant that Spurs’ title hopes are over, and Leicester City are Premier League champions for the first time – yet there are even more talking points coming out of the Chelsea v Spurs clash.
In a bad-tempered London derby, it was clear that the two teams do not like each other at all, as nine Spurs players were booked – but somehow avoided being sent off.
Defender Kyle Walker was guilty of a number of fouls but managed to escape a second booking, Eric Dier miraculously stayed on the pitch despite a ridiculously late foul in the dying embers of the game, whilst midfielder Mousa Dembele got away with an eye-gouge on Chelsea striker Diego Costa.
Unfortunately, we saw brawls and nasty clashes, with Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino even having to separate Danny Rose and Willian, when it seemed that the two would come to blows.
Now, former Premier League referee Graham Poll has told the Daily Mail that he thinks Walker, Dier and Dembele should all have been sent off at Stamford Bridge, with referee Mark Clattenburg failing to control the players throughout the game.
“How on earth this game finished with 22 players on the field, I cannot comprehend,” said Poll. “Tottenham’s Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Kyle Walker should all have been dismissed and action may yet follow when the FA look at replays of a number of incidents.”
“Walker was a man on a mission and for Clattenburg to give him three or four chances was ill-advised. Just on half-time, Danny Rose fouled Willian who reacted stupidly and — before both could be cautioned — Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino was on the field trying to keep them apart. He is not allowed to do that and he fanned the flames as players raced into the melee.”
“The worst clash saw Dembele poke Diego Costa in the eye, trying to gouge the striker, another case for the FA, although it happened right under the nose of the assistant referee Simon Beck. Dier should have been dismissed for a nasty challenge when Clattenburg incredibly decided to play advantage. When he finally stopped play, he had Ryan Mason and Dembele to caution and lost the chance to dismiss Dier,” he added.
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