Gary Neville blasts ‘whinging’ Chelsea star after Arsenal defeat
Gary Neville blasted ‘whinging’ Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez following his ‘poor’ performance in the Premier League defeat to Arsenal.
Chelsea’s Champions League hopes were dealt a further blow on Sunday as Liam Rosenior’s side were beaten 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
William Saliba headed Arsenal ahead midway through the first half, the Premier League leaders scoring from yet another corner.
Chelsea showed their set-piece prowess on the stroke of half-time, equalising from a corner as Piero Hincapie flicked a header into his own net.
The Blues appeared on top in the early stages of the second half but Arsenal took control during a wild four-minute period.
Another Declan Rice corner caused havoc in the Chelsea box and Jurrien Timber headed into a virtually empty net after Sanchez misread the flight of the ball.
Sanchez, who regularly almost gave the ball away, appealed to the referee that he was fouled but Darren England did not spot any infringements and VAR agreed.
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Trailing by one goal, Chelsea were reduced to ten men just a few minutes later as Pedro Neto, who was carded for dissent, received a second yellow for a late tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.
Chelsea thought they had scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser through Liam Delap but Joao Pedro had strayed into an offside position in the build-up.
While Arsenal restored their five-point lead in the title race, the defeat sees Chelsea slip to sixth in the Premier League, six points outside the Champions League places.
‘Robert Sanchez is all over the place, he’s whinging unnecessarily in my view,’ Neville said on Sky Sports after Arsenal’s winner. ‘Watch Sanchez, not a chance, he’s nowhere near it.
‘It’s really poor goalkeeping. He misreads the flight. He’s had such a poor day, he really has. On the ground and in the air.
‘He will know deep down he wasn’t fouled, he had to create something because he got the flight wrong. Chelsea were doing well up until that point but that swung the momentum.’
Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge on Wednesday night against Brighton, while Chelsea will look to end a three-game winless run at Aston Villa.
Speaking after Arsenal’s win over Chelsea, former Manchester United and England defender Neville added: ‘They found a way.
‘It’s never easy to play second, especially when Man City get the points on the board. It adds pressure, it does. But they got over the line. It’s a good day for the Gunners.’
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