"I was focused on the action" - Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino apologizes to Anthony Taylor after rant
In the aftermath of a 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Manchester City, Chelsea's manager Mauricio Pochettino found himself in a heated moment. His frustrations led to him shouting an expletive at referee Anthony Taylor, which he has now apologized for.
The Blues managed to come back thrice against the Cityzens, matching the league leaders in a clash that had plenty of drama. The climax of the match saw Chelsea's Cole Palmer, a former City player, level the score with a crucial penalty five minutes into injury time. This negated Rodri's lead-taking goal in the 86th minute.
Despite both teams striving for a decisive goal, the match's most contentious moment occurred in the 100th minute. The Blues, on the verge of a counterattack, were abruptly stopped by referee Anthony Taylor's final whistle, much to Pochettino's dismay.
The manager's reaction was immediate and intense, as he confronted Taylor on the pitch, expressing his disbelief and frustration with choice expletives. The Argentinian had to be calmed down by his coaching staff and picked up a yellow card for his words at the referee.
In a subsequent press conference, Pochettino expressed remorse for his actions, directing apologies towards referee Taylor and acknowledging his booking as warranted. He also admitted his behavior was not exemplary (via Football London):
"I need to apologise to Anthony and the officials because in this moment I feel Raheem can go through and in this moment I say 'What the...?' I deserve to be booked, I apologise but this type of behaviour is no good. I want to apologise to him also [Pep], I was focused on the action."
Chelsea defender Colwill sidelined with shoulder injury ahead of England call-up
Young Blues defender Levi Colwill was notably absent from the squad in their recent Premier League draw with Manchester City. This development has been attributed to a minor shoulder injury, according to Football London who revealed the nature of Colwill's injury.
Further reports from the Daily Mail indicate that Colwill's condition is under close observation, especially with his potential involvement in the England squad on the horizon. Post-match, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was queried about Colwill's status but could not offer a definitive update.
According to Football London, the lack of information was evident when Pochettino turned to his press officer when asked about Colwill's fitness. The press officer indicated that further details regarding the 20-year-old's condition would likely emerge within the next day.