Ex-Premier League referee lambasts Conor Gallagher as ‘ridiculous’ Chelsea footage emerges
Keith Hackett has claimed Conor Gallagher’s red card as Chelsea beat Leicester City 2-1 on Saturday (27 August) “bordered on the ridiculous”.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted he was not sure what Gallagher was trying to achieve.
The 22-year-old was shown two yellow cards as he made his full Stamford Bridge debut for the Blues.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme, he was shown an initial caution after just 22 minutes for bringing down Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall just inside the Chelsea half.
Just six minutes later, the England international was shown a second yellow card for tripping up Harvey Barnes in a similar place on the pitch.
As quoted by the Mirror after the game, Thomas Tuchel was angry with his player who he claimed “almost killed” the match for his side.
Gallagher took to Instagram that night to apologise to everyone associated with the club and took “full responsibility” for his “rash decision”.
He will now sit out Chelsea’s trip to Southampton on Tuesday night (30 August).
“The sending off of Conor Gallagher was like a gimme,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It absolutely bordered on the ridiculous. I didn’t know what he was trying to achieve.”
Gallagher had not featured for Chelsea before this campaign after spending the previous three seasons out on loan.
He amassed 64 Premier League appearances, scoring 10 times and providing five assists, in his time at West Brom and Crystal Palace.
In other news, a “devastated” Harry Maguire could now join Chelsea after “shattering” news.