Terry sent off for a reckless challenge on Leon Osman in Chelsea’s goalless draw with Everton.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari took a vow of silence after captain John Terry was sent off in a goalless draw away to Everton which denied the Londoners first place in the Premier League. Instead it is Liverpool, Everton’s city rivals, who hold the Christmas number one position in the English football charts following Monday’s stalemate here at Goodison Park.
The draw saw Scolari’s side close to within a point of the leaders ahead of Chelsea’s clash with bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion on Friday. Not that the Brazilian wanted to comment on that, or indeed much else, after referee Phil Dowd showed England captain Terry a straight red card 10 minutes before half-time for a reckless challenge on Everton midfielder Leon Osman.
Scolari failed to turn up for the post-match press conference, as did any of his backroom staff, for fear, according to a club spokesman, of saying something that would land him in trouble with the Football Association. “None of the management team feel able to come up,” the spokesman said. “They have issues with a number of decisions and feel it would be better if they did not comment.”
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who made several fine saves, was rather more forthcoming. “I think it’s a pity because we had more chances to be top of the league and we drew some games,” the Czech international said. “But that’s the way this season is going. If we won our games at home we would have been top with some gap. This year the Premier League is such a good competition and Aston Villa are pushing up and everyone is trying to stay there.”
Commenting on Terry’s sending-off, Cech added, “It was hard to see from where I was. It’s hard for the ref to see exactly what happens because he has only a split second and the crowd are behind so it makes it more difficult. He made a decision and we have to live with it. It’s a pity because we wanted to win the game and go top of the league but in the end it’s a good point.”
Terry has now been dismissed twice this season. His first red card in the 3-1 win at Manchester City in September was overturned on appeal but there seems little chance of Monday’s expulsion being rescinded. The England centre-half who is facing a three-match ban, caught Osman on his ankle and was shown a red card by Dowd.
Everton manager David Moyes said, “My first reaction was that I thought it was reckless. In my playing days I would have enjoyed tackling like that, but I think the referee got the big decisions right.” In the last four seasons, the team which has topped the table at Christmas has gone on to win the title.
Yet Manchester United, currently fourth, will be confident of retaining the crown they won last season after watching their rivals carelessly drop points. The newly-crowned World Club Champions will have arrived home from their Japanese adventure in buoyant mood after discovering that Liverpool and Arsenal cancelled each other out on Sunday.
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