"That Could’ve Snapped His Achilles!" – Joe Cole and Peter Crouch Blast VAR for Allowing Dangerous Ndidi Tackle on Palmer
The pundits criticize VAR and the referee's decision not to send off Wilfred Ndidi for a reckless scissors-like tackle, claiming it could have seriously injured Chelsea's Cole Palmer.
Joe Cole and Peter Crouch, pundits for TNT Sports, have called out a controversial refereeing decision during Chelsea’s match against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The incident involved Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi making a dangerous tackle on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
Chelsea got off to a strong start with Nicolas Jackson scoring a brilliant goal in the 15th minute. The striker turned away from Caleb Okoli and delivered an incredible shot past Leicester’s goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen.
Despite Chelsea’s good start, they missed other chances to extend their lead. Noni Madueke even had a goal ruled out for offside, and some promising chances were not taken.
Midway through the first half, Ndidi went in with a scissors-like tackle on Palmer. Referee Andy Madley gave a yellow card, but many thought it deserved a red. VAR reviewed the foul but didn’t change the decision, claiming the tackle lacked “intensity” and happened over a “short distance.”
Joe Cole was shocked:
“Ndidi is lucky. That tackle could’ve seriously injured Palmer. If VAR is supposed to stop dangerous play, this was the moment to step in. Ndidi landed on Palmer’s Achilles—it could’ve ended his season.”
Cole added:
“Ndidi nearly scored after that. If Leicester had equalized with him involved, their coach would’ve been furious.”
Peter Crouch agreed:
“It’s a dangerous tackle. That could’ve snapped his Achilles. This kind of challenge shouldn’t be allowed.”
The decision not to send off Ndidi has left fans and pundits frustrated. It raised concerns about whether VAR is doing enough to protect players from dangerous fouls.
Chelsea held on to their 1-0 lead and secured a crucial win, but the controversial decision and missed chances could have changed the game. Fans are happy with the win but remain concerned about VAR’s inconsistency in protecting players.
This match shows why many still question the reliability of VAR in key moments.
