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Chelsea saw a first-half penalty shout rebuffed against Arsenal when the ball appeared to strike the arm of Declan Rice following a corner
Mark Clattenburg has hit out at 'inconsistent refereeing decisions' after claiming Chelsea should have been awarded a first-half penalty against Arsenal.
The incident in question came just before the Blues snatched an equaliser when Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie accidentally headed into his own net following Reece James' corner.
Clattenburg feels Declan Rice should have been penalised after the ball struck his arm as he grappled with Jorrel Hato during a separate Chelsea corner.
The 50-year-old told The Chelsea Chronicle: “Declan Rice defends a corner kick and clearly moves his arm to the ball and a penalty kick should have been awarded.
“We see each week the inconsistency with refereeing decisions and this week is no different. The ball comes from a long distance and a clear movement of the arm to the ball should always result in a penalty.”
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VAR did check the incident and the Premier League Match Centre later posted on X: "The referee’s call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed there was no punishable handball offence with Rice challenging an opponent as the ball hit his arm."
Chelsea's coaching staff were adamant they should have had a spot-kick but their frustration was short-lived as they equalised just a matter of minutes later.
Speaking after the match, Liam Rosenior bemoaned Chelsea's lack of discipline after Pedro Neto was shown the club's ninth red card of the season - 10 if you also include ex-boss Enzo Maresca, who was dismissed against Liverpool.
Rosenior said: “I felt as a group, including me, we learned our lesson last week. To concede two goals from set plays, which ultimately has cost us the game, is really disappointing. And then to have another red card, again, really disappointed.
“[But] it’s not just Pedro. I think as a group, me as the leader as well, we have to take more accountability for some of the decision-making we’re having in terms of our discipline and in terms of the moments of the goals, not just today, the goals we conceded. Some of them are just not acceptable at this level.”
Rosenior has only lost three matches since taking the Chelsea job back in January and all of those defeats have come against Arsenal.
The Blues thought they had equalised deep into stoppage time when Alejandro Garnacho's goal-bound cross was kept out by David Raya before Liam Delap also stuck the ball in the net - only for Joao Pedro to be ruled offside.
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