Hakim Ziyech: Chelsea Star Miraculously Avoids Red Card in London Derby vs Tottenham Hotspur

• Hakim Ziyech saw his red card luckily rescinded in a few minutes of confusion in the London derby
• Ziyech put his hand on the face of Emerson Royal, but upon a VAR review, the red card was reversed
• Football players rarely get away with such offences, with Casemiro's recent incident still fresh

The London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea lived up to its expectations, with both players leaving nothing to chance in a tempestuous first half.

Chelsea made the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium looking to kickstart their season after a poor run of form under Graham Potter. Spurs were without Antonio Conte, who is still in his native Italy recuperating after undergoing surgery.

Save for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg's shot that hit the post, the main talking incident in the half was Hakim Ziyech's red card which was later downgraded to a yellow card.

Watch: Bruno Fernandes sparks massive brawl after hitting Frenkie De Jong

Football

The Hakim Ziyech incident

The whole confusion started when Kai Havertz tripped Richarlison. Ziyech bumped into the Brazilian with both sets of players rushing into the scene. Spurs fullback Emerson Royal barged into Ziyech, with the Moroccan reacting angrily by shoving the defender with a hand on the face.

Centre referee Stuart Attwell yellow-carded Havertz and Royal for their role in the incident before turning to Ziyech and giving him his marching orders.

Attwell was, however, invited by the Video Assistant Referee Paul Tierney to review the events on the pitch-side monitor. Ziyech was thereafter handed a lifeline with Attwell downgrading the red card to just a warning, much to the chargin of the home support.

Attwell's possible thinking

With the referees body PGMOL certainly set to explain the thinking later on, pundits have avered that Attwell made the correct decision.

Liverpool draw blank at Palace in fresh blow to top four hopes

Football

Royal barging into Ziyech seems to have played a major hand in the overturning of the events. Artwell might have adjudged that Ziyech's actions were a response to Royal pushing him over.

However, more often than not, football rules always frown upon players who attack opponents from the neck up. Manchester United's midfielder Casemiro was recently sent off for appearing to strangle Crystal Palace's midfielder Will Hughes.

The other issue is that referees often give red cards in such a situation before the yellow cards. Attwell consulted the assistant referee before giving the yellow cards first.

Potter remains confident

Meanwhile, Sports Brief reported that Chelsea manager Graham Potter maintained that he can turn the club’s fortunes around, despite another lowly defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Pressure continued to mount on the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss, whose Chelsea side are now winless in their last six games for the first time in a decade.

Premier League mascots: Who is the best mascot in the EPL?

Football