It was the moment when Reece James simply could not handle the frustration. Named by Mauricio Pochettino as the Chelsea captain, James had not played since the opening weekend draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge when he injured a hamstring. Now, he seethed from the sideline as his team lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa, a game in which his replacement, Malo Gusto, was controversially sent off.
It was 24 September, Chelsea’s second home Premier League defeat on the spin after the one against Nottingham Forest and they were booed off again. James would lose his cool with an official in the tunnel and, when a Football Association charge was announced three days later for abusive conduct, it felt like only a matter of time before he was given a one-match ban.
