|
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock said Premier League officials were "probably the worst" in the world after the Bluebirds suffered a controversial 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea. Warnock's side were 1-0 up with six minutes remaining when Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta, in a clear offside position that was not seen by assistant referee Eddie Smart, headed the equaliser from a corner. Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored the winner in added time after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger had been shown only a yellow card by referee Craig Pawson for a last-man foul on Kenneth Zohore. "It's almost like it's not who you play, it's who you get to referee and who is going to have a flag in their hand nowadays, it's just as important," Warnock told Sky Sports. "The best league in the world and probably the worst officials at the minute. He [Smart] is saying that Willian blocked his view, but it wasn't a six inches one. Either side you should be able to see he's two yards offside. "It's soul-destroying really. I can understand why the lads are down." Cardiff had taken the lead with a fine goal from Victor Camarasa in the opening seconds of the second half but their hopes of closing a five-point gap to fourth-bottom Burnley were dashed. "If I was a Burnley, Southampton or Brighton fan, it's the best thing that could have ever happened," Warnock said. "It's knocked our lads down -- they are flat. "We've worked on things for the last three weeks and one of them is coming out at corner kicks and leaving a man in. The lads have just said: 'What we do now gaffer? What's the point?' "You've got to hope the linesman can see it. VAR has got to be the answer to help them out. It would have sorted the goal out within seconds."
|
