Ex-PGMOL Chief gives take on two controversial decisions in Chelsea draw with Arsenal

Even with the numerical disadvantage, Enzo Maresca’s men pushed hard in search of a positive outcome to keep themselves within touching distance of the top of the English game.

Trevoh Chalobah climbed above everyone to nod a looping delivery into the net for the first goal (watch his goal below), before Merino’s leveller failed to spark Arsenal into securing what many assumed would be a routine success.

At the moment Chalobah scored, there were no immediate doubts about the validity of the effort. But once the tense clash at Stamford Bridge concluded, alternative replays seemed to reveal that one Chelsea player might have affected the play from an offside position.

Hackett has now spoken out to address these newly emerging concerns.

Supporters of rival clubs argued that Enzo Fernandez was standing offside, and that his clear attempt to challenge for the ball stopped Cristhian Mosquera from making a proper clearance.

This was also the argument put forward by rules analyst Dale Johnson in the post-match discussion, yet Hackett clarified why this did not justify disallowing the goal.

He told Football Insider (watch below): “There is a lot of debate about Enzo Fernandez and his offside position. Let us first understand law 11 of offside – you cannot be offside from a corner kick. So, as the kick is taken, Fernandez is in an offside position, but the rules allow him to stand in that position.

“As the ball comes in, Chalobah heads it in and Fernandez is still in an offside position, but he’s not interfered with the goalkeeper or any other player.”

Much of the heightened reaction likely comes from the Andrew Robertson involvement that caused Virgil van Dijk’s finish to be ruled out against Manchester City prior to the international break. The issue has since become more prominent—perhaps more than necessary.

Another moment Hackett examined was the clash in which Piero Hincapie swung an elbow toward Chalobah, leaving the defender with a bruised eye.

The former referee again sided with the decision made by Anthony Taylor, telling Football Insider (see the incident below): “Let me explain what the referee is looking for as a guide between the difference between yellow and red.

“Yellow is reckless, red is violent conduct, excessive force etc. And what we look for first of all is a clinched fist, a bent elbow and backward movement. And we know then the elbow and the arm is being used as a weapon. In this situation, I felt rightly that this was worthy of a yellow card and not a red, and they got that one right like they got the red card right.”

Although Arsenal managed to avoid any dismissals, their six cautions—compared with Chelsea’s single booking—resulted in a £25,000 FA penalty.

The north Londoners have now surged up the list of Premier League clubs with the most yellow cards in the 2025/26 campaign after previously sitting at the bottom.