Former Manchester United striker and football pundit Wayne Rooney has criticised the refereeing decision during Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea, saying Gabriel Magalhaes should have been dismissed after a collision with Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The incident happened at the very start of the Premier League match and quickly became the main talking point surrounding the London derby. Rooney’s view is that the referee should have shown a red card to the Arsenal defender for his part in the clash.
The match was the third round of the English top flight and ended with Arsenal securing a 2-1 win against Chelsea. Despite the controversy in the opening stages, Arsenal went on to take all three points from the fixture.
Rooney, now working as a football expert, focused on the challenge involving Gabriel Magalhaes and Martinez when assessing the match. His conclusion was that the Arsenal player should not have been allowed to remain on the pitch.
The result strengthened Arsenal’s position in the early Premier League table. The Gunners currently sit second, having collected nine points from their opening matches. Chelsea are fourth with six points.
Arsenal’s victory therefore leaves them three points ahead of Chelsea in the standings at this stage of the season. The two clubs remain separated in the table, with Arsenal occupying second place and Chelsea positioned fourth after the latest round of matches.
The disputed collision came before the game had properly settled, making the referee’s decision especially significant in Rooney’s assessment. He believes the incident warranted the most serious on-field punishment and that Arsenal should have continued the match with 10 players.
Chelsea were unable to turn the episode into a positive result, eventually losing 2-1. Arsenal, meanwhile, held on for the win and maintained their place near the top of the table.
Rooney’s comments add to the attention around an already contentious moment from the derby. While the final score was decided by Arsenal’s overall result, the early clash between Gabriel Magalhaes and Martinez remained central to the former Manchester United forward’s reaction.
With Arsenal now on nine points and Chelsea on six, the outcome also gives the Gunners the early advantage over their London rivals in the Premier League standings.