Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Friday night left the Blues searching for answers as they were outplayed in nearly every department. The result was a harsh reminder of the challenges Chelsea continues to face under their current management.
While the performance was disappointing, a controversial moment during the match has raised further concerns, especially for Chelsea fans. Enzo Fernandez had a goal ruled out for a supposed push on a Brighton defender, a decision that many, including former refereeing official Keith Hackett, found baffling.
Hackett, who was the former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), expressed his surprise at the decision to disallow the goal. “I was surprised that referee Chris Kavanagh ruled out the Chelsea goal for an alleged push,” Hackett said. “Given what we see inside the penalty area, with the holding, the pulling, the pushing, there hardly seemed to be sufficient force for the Brighton player to go down in the way that he did.”
While the Blues’ performance as a whole was lackluster, Fernandez’s disallowed goal was a particular point of contention. Although Fernandez did make contact with the Brighton defender, it seemed minimal and arguably not enough to warrant a foul, let alone a goal being ruled out. Hackett’s comments reflect a sentiment shared by many observers who believe the decision was harsh.
The defeat means Chelsea remains in fourth place in the Premier League standings, but they could drop to fifth if Bournemouth manages to defeat Southampton in their upcoming match. With the transfer window constantly buzzing, Chelsea is also reportedly exploring new attacking options, further highlighting their struggles in front of goal. Given their inconsistency this season, it’s clear that Chelsea has much to address if they want to return to their former glory.