Chelsea have been informed by PGMOL chief Howard Webb that Wilfred Ndidi should have been shown a red card during their Premier League clash with Leicester City last month.
The Blues secured a 2-1 victory at the King Power Stadium, but their afternoon could have been considerably easier had Leicester been reduced to 10 men in the first half.
The incident in question occurred when Ndidi fouled Cole Palmer, leading to strong appeals from Chelsea players for a dismissal. However, referee Andy Madley opted to issue only a yellow card.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with Ndidi during his time at Leicester, defended the player’s character but acknowledged the punishment could have been harsher.
“I’m not saying Wilf [Ndidi] was bad intention because I love Wilf,” Maresca said in a press conference.
“Overall, when there is bad intention, I think the punishment has to be different.”
The decision-making process by VAR has since been revealed, shedding light on how the yellow card decision was reached.
VAR Transcript
REF: I’m going to go yellow. I think he catches him late. For me it just lacked the intensity, I think he caught him high on the Achilles.
VAR: The actual contact is on the heel. If anything there is a bit of a graze. Can we show at full speed?
AVAR: It’s very low. Contact is very, very low.
VAR: Just show at full speed. Okay, so the intensity is not there. So I’m going to confirm on-field decision of yellow card.
Following the review, Michael Owen questioned Webb during Sky Sports Match Officials Mic’d Up, and the PGMOL chief admitted a red card should have been issued.
“Yeah from the outset, I want to say that I would’ve given a red card, for two reasons really,” Webb explained.
“This is a tackle from behind. The contact is in a pretty vulnerable part of Cole Palmer’s anatomy – down there by the Achilles. Initially [the contact], when he comes in is with the instep as opposed to the studs.
“He comes in and does not have a great chance of winning the ball. He makes contact higher on the leg and then slides down. The most forceful contact, where the studs really come in, is on the heel, but there is contact before that on the Achilles.
“When you factor in all of those things, the way he comes into the tackle, where it makes contact, I think this is more aligned with serious foul play as he endangers the safety of Palmer.”
