Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has explained why Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson was not sent off during their match against Nottingham Forest, despite seemingly slapping Morato in the face.
Chelsea drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge against Nuno Espirito Santo’s team. Noni Madueke scored the equaliser for Chelsea after Chris Wood’s second-half goal gave Forest the lead.
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The game saw several heated moments, including the dismissal of James Ward-Prowse for a second yellow card late in the match.
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In the 88th minute, tensions escalated when Neco Williams pushed Marc Cucurella, triggering a brawl involving several players. Levi Colwill was among those who intervened as Cucurella nearly collided with Enzo Maresca.
Although Jackson had been substituted seven minutes earlier for Christopher Nkunku, he still got involved in the altercation.
Shock new footage appears to show Nicolas Jackson SLAP Nottingham Forest’s Morata ???? pic.twitter.com/kz4w3AtXkW
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) October 6, 2024
He was visibly angry and clashed with Morato, with footage showing Jackson raising his hand and slapping the Brazilian defender.
He was not booked or sent off for his actions, and Halsey has now explained to The Sun why. He explained: “Nicolas Jackson appeared to slap Morato in a major melee between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest players.
“The Blues forward, who had been substituted, got involved in the 88th-minute flashpoint which started after Forest’s Neco Williams pushed Marc Cucrella into Blues boss Enzo Maresca.
“Referee Chris Kavanagh would not have seen the slap but VAR checked it and decided his actions did not constitute violent conduct because the force used was negligible. Both clubs now face FA charges for failing to control their players.”
Jackson may still face retrospective punishment from the FA, even though VAR officials reviewed the incident at the time and decided the referee did not need to take further action. Cucurella, Colwill, and Williams were booked for their involvement in the scuffle.
Chelsea have already been fined £50,000 for receiving six yellow cards during the match. The FA doubled the fine, as Maresca’s team are repeat offenders, having previously been fined £25,000 for accumulating nine yellow cards in a game against Bournemouth earlier this season.
