Chelsea was awarded a surprising penalty against Arsenal, a decision that even ex-Chelsea players have disputed. However, former Premier League player Alan Hutton has taken a contrary stance and believes it was a deserved penalty.
Arsenal had begun to find their footing in the match when Chelsea was granted a penalty due to a handball by William Saliba. The manner in which the French defender positioned his hands while jumping for a header makes it challenging to see an alternative explanation, but the referee deemed it a penalty, and Chelsea successfully converted it to take the lead. The decision has sparked considerable debate and varying opinions, with Hutton being one of the few who believe it was warranted.
Even John Terry argued that the spot kick was harsh, but Hutton had a look at the incident and told Football Insider:
“I think [Mykhailo] Mudryk gets to the ball first, it looks like it is going on target, it is a decent header.
“As Saliba jumps, some people have said his arm is in a natural position but I am not so sure, I think it is kind of like he tried to save it.
“As soon as I saw it I knew he was going to give it as a penalty. I think it was on target and that for me was a clear one. I think when you actually throw your arms out wider, that is when it becomes a real problem.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
It is not a surprise that there is someone who believed that there should have been a penalty because the laws of the game are now confusing and inconsistent.
In another game, the officials wouldn’t have given that spot-kick, but thankfully, we did not lose the game.