Chelsea fans have been left fuming after learning that referee Anthony Taylor will officiate their upcoming Premier League clash with Spurs, reigniting memories of a controversial encounter between the two sides last season.
The upcoming clash between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium promises to be an electrifying contest, but a familiar subplot has reignited tensions among Blues supporters.
Anthony Taylor, one of the Premier League’s most seasoned officials, will be in charge of the match—a decision that has not gone down well with the Chelsea faithful.
This is not the first time Taylor has courted controversy in a fixture involving the two London giants. Back in August 2022, Stamford Bridge bore witness to a heated 2-2 draw marred by contentious decisions.
Tottenham’s equalising goal, scored by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, came under scrutiny as Chelsea players and fans alike believed Rodrigo Bentancur had fouled Kai Havertz in the build-up.
To add fuel to the fire, Spurs’ second goal—courtesy of Harry Kane—followed a corner during which Cristian Romero appeared to pull Marc Cucurella’s hair, an incident that baffled onlookers as no foul was awarded.
Chelsea’s then-manager Thomas Tuchel did not mince words, suggesting Taylor should be barred from officiating their games in the future.
Despite this, Taylor’s return to referee another high-stakes encounter has only served to stir up lingering resentment among the Blues’ fanbase.
The announcement of Taylor’s appointment for Sunday’s clash did not go down well with Chelsea supporters.
Their reaction has been relayed by The Sun: One supporter said: “I sound like a broken record but how is he still allowed to referee our games? Especially after what happened a couple of years ago.” Another added: “Why does he get all of our big games? It’s every season.”
Others took a more resigned approach, with one saying: “It was fun while it lasted…” Another simply remarked: “FFS!” And one fan summed up the anticipation with: “Drama loading.”
Chelsea fans’ frustration is understandable given the history, but Tottenham’s priority should be their performance on the pitch. Securing three points against their bitter rivals is crucial, and letting external narratives affect their gameplay could prove costly.
As for Taylor, his appointment ensures that all eyes will be on him come Sunday, with both sets of fans hoping for a fair and decisive display from the man in the middle.
The post Chelsea fans enraged by controversial referee choice for Spurs clash appeared first on Spurs Web.
