Chelsea star slams League Cup final referee over Keita tackle

Joe Williams
Naby Keita goes to challenge Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah for the ball

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has criticised referee Stuart Attwell after he failed to punish Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita for a tackle on him.

The Blues were beaten 11-10 on penalties by Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday with substitute goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missing the crucial spot-kick.

In a match where no-one could score in open play, suddenly in the most nerveless of shoot-outs, everyone found the net with as much aplomb as poise and calm.


Mails on the Carabao Cup final, Bielsa and morally bankrupt FIFA…


Liverpool back-up stopper Caoimhin Kelleher was left to play the hero’s role, firing the Reds’ 11th spot-kick high and handsome into the back of the net before Kepa missed – to hand Jurgen Klopp his first domestic trophy as Anfield boss.

Chelsea were furious during the first 90 minutes when Keita was not even given a yellow card for a challenge on Chalobah that left him needing stitches.

Both players went in for the ball but Liverpool midfielder Keita caught Chalobah on the inside of the thigh with his studs, causing damage to the Chelsea defender.

And after the match Chalobah showed his frustration at the decision by sharing a clip of the incident with the caption: “Had to get stitches because of this. Referee is right there I don’t get it??”

Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit and former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said that Keita was “endangering the opposition” and should have been sent off at Wembley.

“I’m surprised nothing has been said about it. We are now looking at it but for me Keita’s movement, he slows down,” Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.

“Then he goes for the tackle. They both go for the but Keita totally misses the ball. If you look here he totally misses the ball and hits the player really hard.

“For me, that is endangering the opposition. Endangering the player and that should be a red card. I don’t understand that the referee didn’t see it.

“I don’t understand at all that VAR has not seen it because this is really bad. I’m very surprised, very, very surprised.”