Jamie Redknapp Advocates Premier League Rule Change Following Plea from Chelsea Striker Jackson
Mykhaylo Mudryk and Willy Boly’s goals had knotted the game 1-1 just before the first half-hour mark, giving Chelsea a corner and a chance to regain the lead.
Jamie Redknapp, a pundit for Sky Sports, believes the Premier League should change a regulation that hurt Chelsea.
Following an incident during Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest, former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp demanded that the Premier League amend its regulations regarding jostling in the penalty area for the upcoming season. Eight minutes before the end of regulation, Nicolas Jackson scored the game-winning goal, although the Senegalese striker had begged the referee for a penalty kick in the first half.
Just before the first half-hour, goals from Mykhaylo Mudryk and Willy Boly had tied the score at one. This gave Chelsea a corner and an opportunity to take the lead again.
Jackson was waiting for a pass inside the six-yard box but kept battling former Chelsea defender Ola Aina, who hauled the striker down hard enough for him to drop to the ground and ask for a penalty.
Their complaints about the penalty were dismissed by match official Tony Harrington, and Michael Salisbury, who was assigned to VAR, did not believe there was sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field decision.
Redknapp was incensed by the ruling and feels that the existing regulations are ineffective. The Sky Sports analyst urged the Premier League to review its rules and impose harsher sanctions on infractions of the kind that have put Arsenal’s Ben White in the news due to his theatrics at set pieces.
Redknapp analysed the event involving Aina and Jackson and remarked, “I don’t know why he is getting involved with pushing and pulling him.” Just attempt to defend yourself and leave him alone. You run the danger of handing up a penalty the moment you grab him and drag him to the ground in that manner.
“The rules at the moment are almost in the favour of the defenders. I think something has to change about that next year. We see it too often with players pulling people and blocking people. I am not a massive fan of it.”
Rule 12 of the FA’s laws of the game state that a foul should be awarded if the defender impedes the attacker, clarifying as: “Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not within playing distance of either player.”
However, neither the referee nor the VAR believed that Aina had obstructed Jackson in line with the official rules. Redknapp disagreed, calling for the regulations to be changed to reflect the true situation.
Raheem Sterling cancelled out Callum Hudson-Odoi’s looping effort in the second half, but Jackson scored the winner from Reece James’ cross to give Chelsea a crucial three points without having a chance to strike from 12 yards.
Jamie Redknapp Advocates Premier League Rule Change Following Plea from Chelsea Striker Jackson
