"Costing us a lot this season", "Everyone saw that coming" - Chelsea fans furious after Conor Gallagher is sent off against Brighton
Chelsea fans were in disbelief after Conor Gallagher was sent off in their Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday (December 3).
The Blues had put themselves in a promising position to secure all three points. Goals from Enzo Fernandez (17') and Levi Colwill (21') put them 2-0 up heading into the latter stages of the first half.
However, Facundo Buonanotte hit back for the Seagulls in the 43rd minute. Mauricio Pochettino would have hoped the half to have ended there but things went from bad to worse for his side.
Gallagher picked up his second yellow card after sliding in to try and win the ball from Billy Gilmour. Referee Craig Pawson had no choice but to give the stand-in Chelsea captain his marching orders.
The west Londoners keep undoing all their good work game after game and are their own west enemy. They were comfortably the better side but have put their hopes of getting back to winning ways in the league at risk ahead of the second half.
It's the second week in a row a Chelsea player has been sent off. Reece James was given two yellow cards in their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United last time out.
One fan expressed his frustrations with the Blues' disciplinary record this season:
"Our poor decision making is really costing us a lot this season."
Another fan wasn't surprised to see the west Londoners go down to 10 men:
"Nothing to do with luck. Poch as the manager, Gallagher didnt derserve to play after that first yellow.Everyone saw that coming."
Here's how fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to Conor Gallagher's red card against Brighton:
Conor Gallagher confident about his abilities as Chelsea eyes a contract extension for the English midfielder
Chelsea are reportedly looking to begin contract negotiations with Conor Gallagher. The England international's current deal expires in June 2025, but he's become an important player for Pochettino this season.
Gallagher has made 16 appearances across competitions, providing four assists. He's statistically been one of the Blues' standout performers and his club look set to show their faith in him with a new deal.
The 23-year-old spoke about his place in Chelsea's squad in which he's been joined by several big-money signings. Gallagher plays in a midfield alongside Moises Caicedo (£115 million) and Fernandez (£106.8 million). He said (via The Mirror):
"I'm very confident in my ability and what I can do. Training and playing alongside midfielders worth 100 plus million pounds is good and shows where I'm at as well. So hopefully I can continue to perform well to keep playing as many games as I can.”
Conor Gallagher has made 61 appearances since making his debut for the senior team in 2020. He's Pochettino's third-choice captain and the west Londoners are his boyhood club.