‘Such an Embarrassment’: Fans Slam Chelsea Captain Reece James for Seeing Red Against Brighton

• Reece James saw red in Chelsea's victory at Brighton
• The 24-year-old star was sent off for a petulant foul
• He now misses four games, including the season finale

Chelsea defender, Reece James, was criticised after receiving a needless red card during his side's penultimate Premier League game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

James, who had only played nine games prior to the match and recently returned from injury, was brought on as a second-half substitute with Chelsea leading 2-0.

His role was to bolster the defence and contribute to attacking play with his dynamic runs down the right flank.

However, his presence on the pitch was cut short due to a reckless foul late in the match, leading to his dismissal after a VAR review by referee Michael Salisbury.

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Despite the setback, the Blues held on for the win, although Danny Welbeck's late goal made for a tense finale.

The red card means James will miss Chelsea's final game of the season against Bournemouth and the first three matches of the following season, as cited by talkSPORT.

This incident marked his second red card of the season, making him the player with the most red cards in the Premier League this season despite limited playing time, according to Squawka.

Fans slam 'reckless' Reece James for red card

Football fans who monitored the game, particularly Chelsea faithful, couldn't conceal their disappointment with James' foul and subsequent dismissal.

@anchamulancha slammed James:

"He is such an embarrassment. I’m ashamed."

@timmy_sax reckoned that the Englishman's actions leading to the red card lacked professionalism:

"That’s so unprofessional from James."

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@Innosaint04 raised questions about the Englishman's overall attitude:

"He doesn’t behave like the captain of the team. The reaction from him was unnecessary."

@hameedsea said:

"Not the first time. He needs to grow up."

@CertifiedAnelka stressed:

"That's too low of him as a captain of the team. He shouldn't have done that at all."

Pochettino praises Chelsea's push for Europe

Sports Brief also reported that Mauricio Pochettino praised Chelsea's late push towards European qualification, seeing it as a fitting outcome for the club's perseverance throughout a challenging season.

Following a 2-1 victory against Brighton on Wednesday, Pochettino's team rose to sixth place in the Premier League standings with one match remaining.

The Argentine tactician expressed his satisfaction with the Blues' progress, highlighting the club's leadership for remaining steadfast in their approach.