Why Chelsea Were Denied a Penalty After Declan Rice’s Controversial Handball
- Chelsea were left aggrieved after being denied a penalty in controversial fashion during their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal
- The flashpoint arrived in first-half stoppage time when Declan Rice appeared to handle the ball and possibly bring down a Chelsea player inside the box
- In a swift response, the Premier League issued an official explanation clarifying why the incident did not meet the threshold for a spot-kick
- YEN.com.gh also spoke to a CAF-accredited sports journalist who followed the match closely and shared his verdict on whether the moment warranted a penalty
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Arsenal edged Chelsea 2-1 in a heated London derby, yet the scoreline only tells part of the story.
The Gunners stretched their unbeaten run against their rivals dating back to 2021, but the contest was littered with flashpoints that could easily have changed the outcome.
In the end, Mikel Arteta’s men walked away with maximum points and restored their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table.
Source: Getty Images
Why Chelsea were denied a penalty
The biggest talking point arrived just before the break. In the 44th minute, Declan Rice tussled with Jorrel Hato inside the box. As both players grappled for position, the ball struck Rice’s raised arm.
According to Sports Mole, replays showed the England midfielder lifting his elbow while engaged in the duel. Despite the appeals, referee Darren England allowed play to continue.
Watch the incident:
VAR official John Brooks reviewed the moment and chose not to intervene. The Premier League Match Centre later clarified the decision on X.
"The referee’s call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed there was no punishable handball offence with Rice challenging an opponent as the ball hit his arm."
The explanation did little to calm supporters. Social media quickly became a battleground.
@pepout324 slammed:
"On top of that he’s literally holding him down, only Arsenal can get away with this."
@CS23888257 alleged:
"Because it’s Arsenal and the officials have blatantly decided they’re going to win the league this season."
@spiceymetaball argued from a different angle:
"Actually agree that this should've been given. But Chelsea scored from resulting corner so didn't make any difference to the game."
@PTDCity summed up:
"Handball: 2 hands grappling opponent None was given. EPL is a joke."
Source: Getty Images
Law 12, as stated by IFAB, outlines the criteria for handball offences. It explains that not every touch of the hand or arm is punishable.
An offence occurs if a player deliberately moves the arm towards the ball or makes the body unnaturally bigger in a way not justified by normal movement.
Ironically, the disputed moment led to a corner from which Chelsea found parity through a Piero Hincapie own goal.
Earlier, William Saliba had opened the scoring before Jurien Timber struck after the interval to secure victory - an outcome a mysterious cat called hours before the game.
Watch the cat's prediction:
There was another contentious episode in the second half when David Raya punched clear and caught Joao Pedro in the head. Once again, officials saw no infringement.
Journalist raises no-penalty questions
YEN.com.gh sought the opinion of Fitman Jaara of Daily Guide Network and Focus FM. He did not hold back.
“This overlooks the clear, intentional movement of his arm toward the ball. When a player deliberately directs their arm to make contact, that should be deemed a foul. And in my view, the point of contact was not the shoulder - it was closer to the elbow than the shoulder.”
When the dust settled, Arsenal, which has the most expensive match ticket for home games in the Premier League, had the result they wanted.
Yet long after the final whistle, debate over that split second in first-half stoppage time continued to dominate conversations among fans and pundits alike.
Adebayor snubs Arsenal in picking EPL winners
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Emmanuel Adebayor named his favourite to win the 2025/26 Premier League title.
The 41-year-old said he has reviewed the remaining fixtures and does not believe Mikel Arteta’s side will go all the way.
Source: YEN.com.gh
