Var is responsible for disallowing Chelsea’s winning goal against Burnley yesterday, not me. The referee in charge was Darren England.
Chelsea and Burnley played to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Despite being down to 10 men, Vincent Kompany’s team managed to equalize twice and frustrate the home team.
Chelsea’s undefeated streak in the league reached five games, making it their longest run without a loss in almost 18 months. However, there was little celebration from fans towards Mauricio Pochettino and his team at the end of the match, as they witnessed Dara O’Shea scoring a late equalizer for Burnley.
Cole Palmer scored two goals earlier in the match. The first goal was a penalty, awarded after defender Lorenz Assignon was sent off for fouling Mykhailo Mudryk. Palmer then scored his second goal, assisted by a wonderful flip from Raheem Sterling.
Meanwhile, Josh Cullen skillfully struck the ball with a volley to equalize for Burnley, despite their opponents dominating the game. This unexpected goal provided a significant advantage to Burnley in their quest to remain in the top-flight league.
Burnley had the initial opportunity. A lengthy pass from midfield sailed over the head of Benoit Badiashile and was vigorously struck towards the goal but missed wide by Jacob Bruun Larsen.
Enzo Fernandez came close after. The ball, struck from the perimeter of the penalty area, was deflected in a sharp and unpredictable manner towards the uppermost corner of the goal. Arijanet Muric, displaying exceptional skill, managed to redirect the ball onto the crossbar and out of play.
The Chelsea opener was characterized by brightness, with Palmer and Conor Gallagher posing a constant threat with their effective collaboration. Additionally, Mudryk, who just scored the goal that secured Ukraine’s place at Euro 2024, demonstrated impressive speed and skillful footwork as he surged down the left side.
However, Burnley did not lack sharpness. Wilson Odobert executed an impressive and powerful shot from a distance, resulting in a remarkable save by goalie Djordje Petrovic. Odobert skillfully maneuvered past Malo Gusto, who failed to effectively defend against him.
Nicolas Jackson could have performed more effectively as he sprinted towards Palmer’s penetrating through-ball, skillfully evaded two defenders, and attempted to score in the corner. However, Muric once again made the save.
Axel Disasi believed he had scored a goal for Chelsea in the first half, as he directed the ball into the net from Mudryk’s pass at the far post. However, VAR determined that the goal was invalid since it had unintentionally come off the defender’s arm.
Mudryk took a direct shot at Muric after receiving a pass from Jackson, who skillfully maneuvered in from the right side. This increased Chelsea’s total number of shots to 12 within the first 35 minutes of the game.
Burnley’s perception of desperately holding on became more pronounced, and just before half-time, their challenge became significantly more difficult.
Assignon appeared to have Mudryk under control as they both raced to grab the ball in the left channel. Mudryk walked over him, and Assignon forcefully pushed him down to the ground with an extended arm at the level of the neck.
Amidst the disorder that ensued, the defender received a second yellow card, and the vehement Kompany was also sent off, resulting in Burnley being reduced to ten players and their manager being expelled from the touchline. Palmer’s audacious penalty compounded the team’s misfortune, providing Chelsea the advantage.
The equalizer from Burnley right after the halftime break was well-deserved and it surprised the home crowd. Cullen executed a one-two pass with Josh Brownhill at a distance of 25 yards from the goal. He received the ball back and swiftly struck a volley into the net, displaying quick reflexes, just two minutes into the second half.
If Petrovic had not made a remarkable one-handed stop from Odobert’s header at close range, the visitors would have been in the lead. On the other hand, Muric once again saved Burnley by blocking Jackson’s low first-time effort.
Spectators at home were considering another disappointing outcome when Sterling, substituting for Moises Caicedo, skillfully redirected the ball to Palmer with an impressive flick. Chelsea’s leading goal scorer then struck the ball forcefully into the lower corner, reclaiming the advantage.
The duration was less than three minutes. Immediately, Burnley quickly advanced to the opposing side and earned a corner. During the corner, none of the players from the opposing team paid attention to O’Shea as he skillfully maneuvered past four defenders and successfully headed the ball into the goal, taking advantage of Petrovic’s failed attempt to save.
Sterling had a clear opportunity to score when he quickly moved towards Palmer’s cross from the far post, but surprisingly missed the target with a header. In the 88th minute, Jay Rodriguez hit the crossbar with a header, creating a chance for Burnley to achieve an unlikely outcome.
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