Chelsea are well on top against Newcastle at St James’ Park, and the home team are doing all they can to slow us down.
It started with time wasting – from about the 20th minute onwards, and now it’s progressed to bad fouls.
Callum Wilson got away with a couple, and clearly sensing a lenient referee, the Magpies only ramped up the action. Isaac Hayden then slashed in on Andreas Christensen – it was a little forceful, a little high and a little late, but clearly not quite enough of any of them to warrant a red.
Fans on social media couldn’t believe he’d got away with it. “How’s that not a red?” asked one, and the sentiment was echoed across the Twittersphere.
They’ve got a few players walking tightropes now, but unless the referee actually bites the bullet and sends one off, that’s not much good to us.
You can see a selection of their reaction in the Tweets embedded here:
It was the hardest-to-watch Hayden / Christensen combination since The Phantom Menace. https://t.co/DGszScv1yT
— Will Faulks (@willfaulks) October 30, 2021
Bad tackle from Hayden. Christensen may struggle to see out the game.
— CFC-Blues ⭐️⭐️ (@CFCBlues_com) October 30, 2021
You’ve paid him off with your Saudi blood money. Hayden should have been off with a red.
— Comrade Lampard ⭐⭐ (@CommunistChels) October 30, 2021
Need someone to do me a favour and return that nasty tackle to Isaac Hayden
— Mina 🇸🇪 (@minamatloob) October 30, 2021
That should’ve defs been a red for isaac hayden on AC
— T⭐️⭐️J (@TheRealFutbolTJ) October 30, 2021
Chelsea didn’t make a lot of it, surprisingly. Only Azpilicueta on the bench was asking for a red card. #CFC #NEWCHE
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) October 30, 2021
Cesar Azpilicueta is calling for a red card for Isaac Hayden after a high challenge.#NEWCHE | #CFC | @ChelseaFC
