Premier League explains why the Blues were not awarded a penalty despite Tomas Soucek handling the ball in the penalty area
Everyone involved with Chelsea is disappointed with the decision not to award the Blues a penalty in the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday afternoon.
Graham Potter's side have won just one game in 2023 and pressure is mounting on the former Brighton boss to turn things around as Chelsea manager, especially given the Ł323m which the club spent on new additions during the January transfer window last month.
A win at London Stadium would therefore go a long way and a late game would give Chelsea a much-needed win. Joao Felix put the visitors ahead in the first half, before Emerson Pamieri equalized shortly afterwards for the Hammers against his former side.
By the end of the second half, Conor Gallagher's effort had clearly sent West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek out, but despite the fierce opposition of the Chelsea players demanding handball, Craig Pawson remained motionless and determined. intend not to point the finger there. That moment was checked by VAR, but Stockley Park officials saw nothing in the replays of the incident to overturn Pawson's decision on the field.
The Premier League has since explained why a penalty was not awarded, as the PGMOL - the official group of all FA competitions - claims that because the hand that touches the ball is a "clearer", so don't take a Soucek kick. was given.
After the game, Potter discussed the decision and joked that Soucek made a brilliant save.
"It was a good save," he joked. "Sometimes you need your goalkeeper to score you. It seems like if he was awarded he wouldn't have been knocked out, but obviously he wasn't awarded.
“You have to earn your chance. We can't complain or wait for luck to come to us, we have to keep working. It feels like a real handball and like I said, I didn't know Tomas could come down so easily and save."
Former Premier League official, Peter Walton, admitted that he thought Pawson was wrong by not specifying the location despite the VAR review.
Walton told BT Sport: "The law was very clear, VAR clearly thought the arm was in the natural position and it would come down to cushion its fall.
"If you analyze it in slow motion, you can see the ball go past his knee and then his arm is there. For me, I think it was a deliberate act and I disappointed that VAR did not give the referee a chance to go and have a second look. "I think football, as a community, would want that punished. As a former Premier League referee, I think it was the wrong decision today."
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