Anthony Taylor vs. Chelsea: Uncle with the stern face on Christmas

Anthony Taylor versus Chelsea is like that Uncle who comes home for Christmas with a stern face and without any gift for the kids.

Chelsea’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium may have secured Enzo Maresca his second Premier League win, but it was referee Anthony Taylor who stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The official shattered a long-standing Premier League record by dishing out an unprecedented 14 yellow cards – sparking outrage among fans who felt his bookings were completely over the top.

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While Chelsea substitute Christopher Nkunku’s late goal, assisted by debutant Jadon Sancho, sealed the win, the focus quickly shifted to Taylor’s trigger-happy approach, with Chelsea fans venting their frustration on social media.

One fan hilariously quipped, “I just heard Anthony Taylor booked the tea lady for asking how many sugars he wanted – apparently, Taylor doesn’t do sugar after 9pm!”

Others weren’t laughing, accusing Taylor of over-policing a game that lacked the aggression to justify so many bookings. “He gave Colwill a yellow for winning the ball! Worst referee in the world,” one furious supporter ranted.

With Chelsea players seeing eight yellows and Bournemouth six, fans from both sides questioned whether Taylor’s record-setting officiating had less to do with the game and more with his personal ambition to make history. One fan summed it up: “Anthony Taylor just wanted to set a record, simple as that.”

The Chelsea fandom have for a long time held a critical assessment of the English referee, with some straight out accusing Anthony Taylor of having a ‘Chelsea’ bias every time he officiates the Blues’ fixtures. This is merely a conspiracy theory though.