“I would have been fuming if that was given against me” – Chelsea legend John Terry reacts to ‘harsh’ penalty against Arsenal
Blues icon John Terry has expressed his unhappiness over Chelsea's penalty kick against Arsenal, even though it ultimately helped the Blues open the scoring.
Cole Palmer's pinpoint execution of the penalty brought Stamford Bridge to its feet, but Terry couldn't help but voice his empathy for Arsenal, deeming the call "harsh."
The Blues locked horns with Mikel Arteta's unbeaten side and controlled the tempo right from the first whistle. Their ceaseless offensive effort pushed the Gunners hard as Mykhaylo Mudryk's header deflected off Arsenal defender William Saliba's outstretched arm.
Initially reluctant, referee Chris Kavanagh was summoned to the VAR monitor for a meticulous review, eventually awarding the penalty that Cole Palmer coolly converted (15'). Yet, amid the jubilation, Chelsea legend John Terry wasn't too pleased. He took to Twitter to comment on the incident:
"Delighted we got the penalty, but I don't agree with the rules on this, very harsh on defenders. I would have been fuming if that was given against me back in the day. But happy now."
Chelsea ended the first half leading 1-0. They increased their lead in the 48th minute but Arsenal equalized with goals from Declan Rice (77') and Leandro Trossard (84') to draw the match.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale sat out of Chelsea clash after wife gives birth to baby boy
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was absent from Arsenal's match-day lineup against Chelsea, according to 90Min. While the Gunners reconvened for Premier League action after the October international break, their squad notably had the goalkeeper absent.
Ramsdale, who recently served time with the England national team, is missing in action for family-based reasons rather than any fitness or disciplinary concerns. His wife, Georgina, has given birth to a baby boy, leading to his absence from the game.
The vacuum left by Ramsdale has seen David Raya rise to the occasion. Having been acquired in the summer, Raya had previously displaced Ramsdale as the starting goalkeeper following the September international break. In six matches for the Gunners, across competitions, the goalkeeper has kept four clean sheets.
The Spaniard has been the mainstay between the sticks for the Gunners in both Premier League and Champions League outings.
Ramsdale's most recent appearance came in the form of a Carabao Cup third-round triumph over Brentford. Filling in the backup spot against Chelsea was third-string goalkeeper Karl Hein.
The 21-year-old Estonia international, who is scarcely used in competitive matches for the Gunners, found himself bumped up the pecking order and placed on the substitutes' bench.
Hein's lone first-team appearance dates back to last season's Carabao Cup where he featured in a 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.