Ex-Premier League referee: ‘Dangerous’ Kalidou Koulibaly should be banned as Chelsea footage emerges
Koulibaly #Koulibaly
Keith Hackett has insisted Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly should have been sent off for “endangering the safety” of Southampton striker Paul Onuachu during the Saints’ 1-0 win on Saturday (18 February).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee compared the challenge to that of Man United’s Marcel Sabitzer on Leicester’s Wout Faes a day later – a tackle which went unpunished.
In footage posted to YouTube by Southampton (21 February), Koulibaly can be seen catching Onuachu high on his thigh after missing the ball in a challenge on the halfway line.
Referee Coote booked the Senegal international and VAR official Robert Jones saw no fault in his on-field decision.
Onuachu writhed around in pain but was not forced to leave the field of play and went on to play 59 minutes.
Koulibaly was hooked at half-time with Chelsea 1-0 down through a James Ward-Prowse free-kick – and Southampton held on to claim a vital three points.
A red card would have seen the summer-of-2022 signing banned for three Premier League games against Tottenham, Leeds United and Leicester.
Hackett told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “It didn’t look good at all.
“I think he endangered the safety of Onuachu. It was like the Sabitzer incident at Man United.
“Koulibaly should have walked for this, and he is extremely lucky not to.
“I’ve heard people say he got away with a yellow because there was no excessive force or malice.
“But he’s endangered the safety of the Southampton player – he could have easily been seriously injured by this challenge.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire claims Chelsea will “face terrible backlash” amid Roman Abramovich claim.
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