Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi should have been shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, according to the English football refereeing body, PGMOL.
Ndidi’s high challenge, which caught Palmer’s Achilles, was only met with a yellow card by referee Andrew Madley, despite a VAR review.
Howard Webb, PGMOL’s boss, admitted that Ndidi was fortunate to avoid dismissal, stating the need to protect player safety.
“We’ve looked at this collectively, among the officials, talked about this, and we would prefer this to be dealt with a red card,” Webb sad.
“We have to protect player safety.”
Fortunately for the officials the decision did not prove to be costly as Palmer was able to walk away from the incident and Chelsea withstood a late fight back from the Foxes to prevail 2-1 at the King Power Stadium.
Former Chelsea star Joe Cole reacted to the challenge immediately after the match last month and insisted Ndidi should have been sent off for his ‘terrible tackle’.
“That tackle, he could hurt him there,’ he said on TNT Sports. ‘If VAR is ever going to step in for reckless endangerment of a player. It’s a terrible tackle.
“This is a game Leicester where they were miles off it Leicester and at the height of their frustration. He’s lost his rag, he should be sent off. He nearly scores the equaliser.
“If he plays a part in getting Leicester back in the game I’d imagine Enzo Maresca will be furious.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea fans fumed on social media as they also questioned the decision to not send off Ndidi.
One said, “Surely a red? That’s an Achilles destroying challenge from Ndidi’.
“Surely that has to be a red for Ndidi. That challenge can so easily put a player out for six months,” a second Blues fan posted on X.
A third added, “How in the world is that not a red card for Ndidi? Disgusting challenge, but then again what do we expect from Premier League refs anyway?”
