Liam Delap should have been sent off for violent conduct during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham, according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett argued that the Chelsea striker deserved a straight red card rather than the yellow he received from referee Stuart Attwell in the 87th minute, following a physical tussle with Djed Spence over a bouncing ball that left the Tottenham defender on the floor in pain.
Replays appeared to show Delap deliberately using his arm to muscle Spence off the ball, and the 23-year-old looked visibly surprised when he escaped with only a booking at the end of Tuesday’s match.
Hackett was unequivocal in his assessment, telling Football Insider that VAR should have flagged the incident and instructed the referee to consult the pitchside monitor. In his view, Delap had clearly identified his opponent before making illegal contact with his arm or elbow — behaviour that should be classified as violent conduct and punished with a dismissal.
The moment could have been significant for Spurs, who were pushing for an equaliser at the time, having fallen behind to goals from Enzo Fernández and Andrey Santos. Instead, Delap stayed on the pitch and Chelsea held on for all three points.
Spence himself seemed to struggle to believe what he had witnessed when he watched the footage back, taking to social media after the game with an amused reaction to the incident.
It was nonetheless another frustrating evening for Delap on a personal level, with speculation mounting that his future lies away from Stamford Bridge. Football Insider’s Mick Brown reported that Xabi Alonso could send the striker to Everton this summer, with David Moyes’ side long-standing admirers of the former Ipswich Town forward. Tuesday’s match may prove to be one of his last appearances in a Chelsea shirt.
