‘That’s a foul by Grealish trying to initiate contact all day long’: Chelsea fans slam decision to allow Anwar El Ghazi’s equaliser to stand for Aston Villa, insisting Andreas Christensen was fouled in the build-up to the goal
- Chelsea had taken the lead in the first-half through a goal by Olivier Giroud
- Anwar El Ghazi scored his fifth goal in five games to equalise for the visitors
- Chelsea fans felt Andreas Christensen was fouled in the build-up to the goal
- The Danish defender had a coming together with Grealish moments before
- Christensen was also criticised though for staying on the floor as Villa scored
- Despite the reaction online, Amazon pundits believed it was the right decision
Chelsea fans have questioned whether Aston Villa’s equaliser against them should have stood, due to a foul on Andreas Christensen in the build-up.
The Blues had taken the lead through Olivier Giroud in the first-half, only for Anwar El Ghazi to bag an equaliser just four minutes after half-time.
El Ghazi’s goal, however, brought some controversy due to a coming together involving Christensen and Jack Grealish in the build-up.
Chelsea fans felt Jack Grealish fouled Andreas Christensen in the build-up to Aston Villa’s goal
Anwar El Ghazi scored the equaliser for the visitors after Olivier Giroud opened the scoring
Grealish was straight back on his feet while the Danish defender stayed down in the rest of the build-up.
The England international was straight on the ball and played it through to Matty Cash, who found El Ghazi at the back post with a perfect cross for Aston Villa to get the equaliser.
However some felt that the incident should have been brought back for a foul, as they felt Grealish had stuck out a leg on the Chelsea defender.
One fan tweeted: ‘Sorry man. But Jack Grealish takes out AC there. It’s what he does, he sticks out a leg and makes it look like a foul. Should have been a free kick to Chelsea.’
Another commented: ‘That’s a foul by Grealish trying to initiate contact all day long,’ while @Richwolves64 added: ‘Would have been a real statement of intent to chalk off that goal for Grealish doing his kick the opponent and dive trick to get the foul. Opportunity missed.’
One Twitter user also believed it was a foul but believed that the Chelsea defender should have got back up and got back into defence to prevent the Villa goal.
They said: ‘Definite foul by Grealish. The referee got it wrong. But that happens. Christensen needs to get up and help his team.
‘Unforgivable to stay down so long with a little kick like that. He’s going to have a bruise. So what? Get up and play.’
Not everybody thought that it should have been a foul however with referee Mark Clattenburg saying on Amazon’s coverage of the game that it was a ’50/50′ challenge as Christensen also caught Grealish.
Amazon pundits Andy Townsend and Graeme Le Saux also agreed with Clattenberg.
Former Villa man Townsend said: ‘I wasn’t convinced, Grealish was in possession of the ball. Maybe, he overruns it slightly but I don’t think it was a foul. I think both players throw a leg.’
Ex-Chelsea full-back Le Saux added: ‘I think Christensen leaves his leg behind as he’s been beaten by Grealish and he’s trying to stop him in his tracks a bit.
‘He’s came out worse and I think as a big centre-half, you get back up get into position wait for the ball to go out and then if it’s a problem deal with it. You don’t stay on the floor like that and then the goal is conceded.
One Twitter user blamed Christensen as he tweeted: ‘Only reason he’s on the ground is because he’s fouled Grealish and came off worse. Ref got it right, get up and get on with it.
