Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea has avoided punishment for a reckless challenge on Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu, a decision that has been widely criticized as one of the worst refereeing decisions of the season. The incident occurred just nine minutes into Tuesday’s London derby, with Jackson catching Tomiyasu on the ankle. Tomiyasu collapsed to the floor in immediate pain, and the referee awarded a free-kick but decided against booking Jackson. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident but deemed the foul not worthy of a sending-off. Pundits and former players were left baffled by the decision, with Rio Ferdinand stating on TNT Sport, “We all couldn’t believe it, we’ve seen so many instances this season which we not anywhere near as bad as this.” Fellow pundit Martin Keown added, “He hasn’t even been booked, wow. What’s the referee doing?” Speaking on talkSPORT, Danny Mills said: “I’d love to see the VAR on that, because that is a red card.” The incident has sparked outrage among fans and pundits alike, who believe that Jackson should have been punished more severely for his reckless challenge.
Nicolas Jackson Escapes Punishment for Reckless Challenge, Sparking Outrage
