Chelsea forward Cole Palmer should have been sent off for violent conduct in the defeat to Tottenham, an independent Premier League panel has concluded. The Key Match Incidents panel ruled by a 3-2 majority that his challenge on Mateus Fernandes warranted a straight red card, not the second yellow shown by referee Chris Kavanagh.
The incident occurred in the 70th minute of the 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge on October 24. Palmer was initially booked for the foul, then received a second yellow ten minutes later for a separate challenge on Conor Gallagher, resulting in his dismissal. The panel stated there was "clear contact to the head as well as unnecessary, dangerous and made with excessive force." All five members agreed VAR was correct not to intervene, as a yellow card had already been issued on the field.
Impact on Chelsea
The one-match suspension means Palmer will miss Chelsea's upcoming Premier League fixture away to Sunderland on November 8. Had the panel's recommended straight red been issued at the time, he would also have missed the recent 2-0 victory over Manchester United, a match in which he scored a penalty. Chelsea, currently fourth in the standings with 16 points from nine games, will be without a key contributor as they look to close an eight-point gap to leaders Arsenal. Palmer has four goals and two assists in the league this season.
Match of the Day pundit Martin Keown supported the panel's view, suggesting Palmer was fortunate not to receive a straight red earlier in the match. The KMI panel also reviewed other incidents from the same round of fixtures, including a penalty claim in Aston Villa's match with Manchester City which was correctly dismissed, and a possible red card for Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes that was also deemed correctly handled. Their overall assessment found 88% of key decisions this season were correct on the pitch, a figure that rises to 99% with VAR intervention. The panel publishes its findings to provide transparency on officiating standards.
Palmer's absence at the Stadium of Light is the immediate consequence for a Chelsea side whose recent form reads three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five outings. Manager Mauricio Pochettino will now have to adjust his attacking options for the trip to the north-east.
