Fans argue referee could have overruled Arsenal goal and bailed Chelsea out
Posted Thursday, May 13, 2021 by Dailystar.co.uk
Chelsea slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night after Jorginho's back-pass allowed Emile Smith Rowe to turn the ball home - but fans believe the goal shouldn't have stood
Jorginho's disastrous back-pass allowed Emile Smith Rowe to fire in the winner for Arsenal against Chelsea - but fans believe it shouldn't have even allowed to stand.
The Gunners picked up an unlikely victory at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, capitalising on a mistake from Jorginho after 15 minutes to snatch a pivotal set of three points.
First the latter almost put the ball in his own net, misplacing a back-pass towards his own goal and forcing goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to desperately claw it away.
However, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pounced in the box and teed up Smith Rowe, who stroked the ball home to give Mikel Arteta's men the lead.
Jorginho's disastrous back-pass allowed Emile Smith Rowe to fire in the winner for Arsenal against Chelsea (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In the end it proved the only goal of the game, with Chelsea huffing and puffing to no avail for the remaining 75 minutes.
But fans on Twitter are adamant that referee Andre Mariner should have halted play before Smith Rowe turned in the opener, pointing out that Kepa was technically not allowed to handle the ball from Jorginho's back-pass.
But fans believe the goal shouldn't have stood because Kepa Arrizabalaga handled the ball after the back-pass (Image: Sky Sports)
Instead, supporters feel Mariner should have awarded an indirect free-kick to Arsenal.
One Arsenal fan wrote: "Despite the fact we scored, Kepa handballed that back pass from Jorginho, why hasn’t he been booked or even sent off? Leno was sent off for the handball against Wolves, why ain’t Kepa been at least booked?"
They are adamant that Kepa's actions should have resulted in an indirect free-kick for the Gunners
Another commented: "Jorginho was passing it back to kepa, who is'n allowed to touch it with his hands if it's an intended pass from an own player".
A third said: "Kepa used his hands to save Jorginho's back pass, but that didn't deny Arsenal from taking the lead through Smith-Rowe".
While a fourth put: "Ok so hear me out here, Jorginho back pass should be a red for kepa no? Deliberate hand ball to stop a goal".
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