Rafael and Debuchy punishments reveal double standards in Premier League refereeing

Vidic is sent off for a rash challenge on Eden Hazard.

Yesterday’s shock refereeing decisions in the Chelsea vs Manchester United game at Stamford Bridge raised more eyebrows and questions among the fans after Phil Dowd chose to send off Nemanja Vidic but only warn Rafael da Silva.

Vidic was sent off for a rash challenge on Eden Hazard in stoppage time. In Dowd’s defence, it was a very rash and unnecessary tackle as Hazard was going nowhere and moving laterally than making inroads into the defensive line. It wasn’t a last man challenge, it wasn’t a two-footed lunge and though he completely missed the ball and caught the Belgian’s trailing leg.

Vidic on Hazard – Red card

As much as Vidic protested his innocence, nobody argued with the decision as Dowd had a clear view of the foul and Vidic’s foot was nowhere close to the ball.

But less than three minutes later, it was another United defender’s turn to share the limelight.

Right back Rafael da Silva, trying to win the ball from Chelsea’s Gary Cahill, lunged at him with both feet off the ground. Although he did get the ball, the follow through tripped the Cahill and brought him down, who was obviously livid with the young Brazilian.

It was obvious from the outset that Rafael’s tackle was way worse than Vidic’s tackle – lunging at the defender, both feet off the ground and with enough force to cause permanent ankle damage had he mistimed it. But all Dowd did was brandish a yellow card, much to Chelsea’s outrage.

Rafael on Cahill – Yellow card

Whether this was because of an afterthought having already sent one player off just moments earlier is questionable. But rules are rules and one must wonder why Rafael was lucky to stay on the pitch, whatever the circumstances leading up to the tackle.

But this is where the Premier League’s double standards come into play.

Just three weeks earlier, Newcastle’s Mathieu Debuchy was sent off for an identical two-footed, lunging tackle on West Brom’s Claudio Yacob. Debuchy too had got the ball, but the rash challenge was enough for Lee Mason to go into his pocket to pull out a red card.

Debuchy on Yacob – Red card

So this begs the question – why was Debuchy sent off while Rafael was allowed to stay on? It’s yet another decision from Premier League referees that joins the list of questionable decisions this season – be it penalties, offsides or fouls.