Chelsea told ‘definitely no’ over Leeds handball debate as three players focused on

Liam Rosenior is still furious with the second goal Chelsea conceded against Leeds United, but he has been given an alternative verdict on the incident

Chelsea and Liam Rosenior have been informed Leeds United’s second goal was right to stand.

Rosenior, 41, was furious Daniel Farke’s side’s equaliser was not disallowed after the ball struck the arm of Jayden Bogle in the build-up. The Blues looked set for a fifth consecutive Premier League win after Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer scored either side of half time to put Chelsea 2-0 ahead.

However, Lukas Nmecha’s penalty, after Moises Caicedo rashly brought down Bogle in the penalty area, gave the newly promoted side a route back into goal. Soon after, Leeds were level after Bogle rammed his way through challenges from Moises Caicedo, Josh Acheampong and Malo Gusto, before Nmecha prodded the ball for Noah Okafor to pass into an empty net.

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Rosenior was upset with the chaotic defending, but he was most livid with play not being stopped after Bogle touched the ball with his wrist as he bared down on goal. Despite cries of handball echoing around Stamford Bridge, he continued to fend off challenge after challenge before Okafor poked the ball in.

The Chelsea head coach maintained the goal should have been ruled out, either on the field or by VAR. Nonetheless, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher asserted the match officials and those in the VAR studio made the correct call.

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When questioned if Leeds were fortunate with the decision, Gallagher responded: “Not really. If you look, it strikes him. There’s no doubt about that. Is it deliberate? No I don’t think so. Does it lead directly to a goal for him? Definitely, no!”

Gallagher then focused on Caicedo, Gusto and Acheampong who all got a touch on the ball during the phase of play, but were all unable to clear the ball. The ex-official added: “If you watch the sequence, three Chelsea players touch the ball in-between. It eventually goes in way after that incident. So it doesn’t fall into that criteria.”

This assessment aligns with the Premier League match centre’s position. Immediately following the goal, a post on its X account stated: “The referee’s call of goal to Leeds United was checked and confirmed by VAR – with there deemed to be no handball offence by Bogle in the build-up.”

This will offer scant consolation to Rosenior, who was incensed by the decision after the final whistle. The Chelsea head coach said: “The lad handballs it. It affects my players in that moment.

“They think it’s a handball, they switch off, we don’t clear the ball and they score. Then for 25 minutes it was wave after wave of attack. We have to make sure we take care of moments and be professional.”

Rosenior would have felt better about the incident had Palmer converted his chance in the final knockings of the game. He looked certain to score the winning goal when Caicedo found him in the six-yard box with a great cross.

However, the midfield magician, who has been a regular source of goals ever since his move from Manchester City, got underneath the ball and blazed it over the bar from two-yards out.

Rosenior gave the benefit of the doubt to the England international saying: “He’s in the position, 999 times out of 1,000 he scores. It was just that one in 1,000 moment.”

He will be looking to bounce back this weekend when Chelsea travel to Rosenior’s former side Hull City in the FA Cup.

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