Chelsea defender Reece James took aim at referee Anthony Taylor after his role in the Blues' heated 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
Thomas Tuchel's side looked as though they were en route to a notable win as goals from summer signing Kalidou Koulibaly and England star James put them into control going into the closing stages - despite Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg ’s second-half reply. But Spurs snatched a point deep into stoppage time, with Harry Kane's late strike levelling matters.
Away from the goals, it was a fractious affair both on and off the pitch with a number of flashpoints throughout the game, most notably between bosses Tuchel and Antonio Conte - the pair of them being shown red cards after the final whistle.
There was also huge controversy surrounding both Spurs goals as the Blues claimed that Kai Havertz was fouled in the build-up to their equaliser, whilst they also argued that Richarlison was offside and in the eyeline of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Christian Romero was then accused of fouling Marc Cucurella before Kane’s late strike - with both decisions not being given by Taylor.
James was left furious with the referee’s performance and felt that the official cost his side. Speaking to Match of the Day 2, the Chelsea defender said: “I think we should have won the game.
“There were two arguable goals for them. I think the referees and the fourth official need to look back on them. It’s frustrating for us when you deserve to win the game.
What did you make of Anthony Taylor's performance at Stamford Bridge? Share your thoughts in the comments below
“I don’t know what they [the officials] were looking at, but we have to take the positives from the game. We were all over them throughout the game.
“I love scoring and I was in the right position. I just like helping the team as much as I can.”
It is not just players and management that have been left unhappy - fans have also been expressing their fury with an online petition. Over 85,000 individuals have signed the petition to stop Taylor from officiating Chelsea matches in the future, whilst #AnthonyTaylorOut has been trending on Twitter since pretty much the final whistle at Stamford Bridge.
Despite the criticism, Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness has actually leapt to the defence of the referee. Speaking after the game, he said: "Referees are letting a lot more go and it makes for a better watch.
“We’ve all played the game, stimulation and people throwing themselves into the ground, I haven’t seen that in the two games today. It’s a man’s game all of a sudden now. The referee had a fabulous game. I thoroughly enjoyed both games today."
