Chelsea’s Tuchel Tables Fresh Demand Before FA After Riotous London Derby

Thomas Tuchel has suggested referee Anthony Taylor should not be allowed to officiate Chelsea matches after claiming his players are worried when they learn he is taking charge of their games.

The Blues boss launched a withering attack on Taylor and VAR official Mike Dean as he argued both of Tottenham’s goals in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge should not have stood.

During a fiery encounter, Kalidou Koulibaly opened the scoring with a superb 19th-minute volley before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg equalised with 22 minutes left.

Reece James restored Chelsea’s advantage with 13 minutes remaining before Harry Kane’s 96th-minute equaliser, glancing in substitute Ivan Perisic’s corner.

However, Rodrigo Bentancur appeared to foul Kai Havertz in the build-up to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s equaliser and Cristian Romero then appeared to pull Marc Cucurella back by the hair as they contested a corner moments before Kane struck.

Chelsea fans previously set up an online petition calling for Taylor to be banned from officiating their matches citing a series of past incidents and supported by more than 80,000 signatures.

A new petition set up moments after the final whistle on Sunday garnered almost 10,000 signatures in its first hour.

Asked about the supporters’ view that Taylor has a history of making decisions against Chelsea, Tuchel said: “I don’t think just some of the fans think that. I can assure you the whole dressing room of us, every single person, thinks that.

“I can’t understand how the first goal is not offside and I can’t understand when a player is pulled by their hair, the other player stays on the pitch.

“Pull someone else’s hair, stay on the pitch and attack the last corner. This is for me without any explanation and I don’t want to accept it. Both goals should not stand and it’s a fair result because we were brilliant, deserved to win. This is my point of view.”

Pushed on whether the players were worried about Taylor being in charge of their games, Tuchel said “yeah, of course” before responding to a suggestion he should not officiate their matches.

“Maybe it would be better,” continued Tuchel. “Maybe it would be better. But honestly, we also have VAR to help make the right decision. Since when can players be pulled by hair? Since when is that [not a foul]? If he does not see it, I do not blame him. I didn’t see it.

“But we have people at VAR who check this. Then you see it and how can this not be a free-kick and a red card? This doesn’t even had to do with the referee in this case. If he does not see something, that’s why we have people to check if there is a decisive error going on.

“When Reece James did a tactical foul it was a yellow card, how many tactical fouls did [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg do today? He hit Reece James in his neck in front of both benches and the fourth official told me they’d go back to it because it was advantage. Did he go back to it? No he did not.

“Bentancur did three, four, five, six tactical fouls [and didn’t get a yellow card]. It’s a clear foul on Kai Havertz who goes towards goal. It stands and goes and it’s the build to the 1-1.

“Huge, huge misinterpretation of situations. I’m happy to let the game go, but let it go in every direction please and not like this. This is, yeah, it’s what it is today and it will not go away. I don’t even know if I will get punished for my sentences now.”

The Football Association are likely to contact Tuchel over his comments in the coming days and Tuchel will already have to serve a touchline ban for Chelsea’s next match at Leeds on Sunday after being dismissed after the final whistle against Tottenham.

“So…good,” he added in response. “I cannot coach but the referee can whistle the next game.”

Conte, who sought to play down his touchline fracas with the Chelsea boss which saw both managers sent off, said: “You know very well I never, never spoke about the referee decision.

“Never, never and I continue to do this. When I see the others have this type of behaviour, it makes me a bit angry but at the same time everyone tries to do what they want, you understand? I don’t want to comment on the referee but I never make a comment about the referee in England.”