The drama at Stamford Bridge didn’t just come from the goals, late twists, and emotional reactions — it also came from the referee’s whistle. **Anthony Taylor**, once again, found himself at the heart of controversy during Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool. While Moisés Caicedo and Estevão Willian grabbed the headlines on the pitch, Taylor’s decisions were equally talked about after the final whistle.
Here’s a closer look at **three moments he got wrong** in a game that could have ended very differently.
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### 1. Caicedo Escapes a Yellow for High Challenge on Szoboszlai
Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo opened the scoring with a thunderbolt in the 14th minute, but his name could easily have ended up in the referee’s book for a different reason. Around the half-hour mark, Cody Gakpo floated a pass toward Dominik Szoboszlai, who managed to flick the ball past Caicedo. Instead of pulling out of the duel, the Ecuadorian went in high, catching the Hungarian midfielder without touching the ball.
It looked reckless, and considering Chelsea’s recent disciplinary record (three red cards in their last four games), this was a moment where Taylor should have stamped his authority. Instead, he awarded only a free kick — a baffling decision given the height and danger of the challenge.
Many Liverpool fans felt that had it been the other way around, a booking would have been inevitable.
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### 2. Garnacho’s Dive – A Missed Yellow
In the 39th minute, Stamford Bridge erupted as Alejandro Garnacho went down inside the box under minimal contact from Szoboszlai. Chelsea players, coaching staff, and supporters screamed for a penalty, but Taylor rightly waved play on after replays showed it was little more than theatrics.
The problem? Taylor failed to take the next step. This wasn’t just a “no foul” situation — it was clear simulation. Former referees and pundits agreed that Garnacho should have been booked for diving. Instead, the teenager walked away unpunished, while Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was shown a yellow card for his furious reaction on the touchline.
A harsh irony: the player guilty of simulation got away with it, while the manager paid the price for pointing it out.
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### 3. Szoboszlai’s Harsh Yellow Against Cucurella
By the 79th minute, tensions were already running high when Dominik Szoboszlai clashed with Marc Cucurella. Taylor immediately reached for his pocket and booked the Liverpool midfielder. At first glance, it looked like a late challenge. But slow-motion replays told a different story.
Both players actually struck the ball at the same time, and the force of the collision sent Szoboszlai tumbling awkwardly over Cucurella. The Hungarian’s trailing leg caught the Chelsea defender in mid-air, but it was clearly incidental rather than malicious.
Given the nature of the contact — and the fact Taylor had earlier allowed Caicedo’s more dangerous challenge to go unpunished — this yellow card looked extremely harsh.
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### Final Verdict
Anthony Taylor is no stranger to controversy, and once again his handling of big moments has left players, managers, and fans debating what might have been.
* **Caicedo** should have been booked for his reckless challenge.
* **Garnacho** should have seen yellow for simulation.
* **Szoboszlai** should not have been booked at all.
Instead, Taylor’s inconsistencies added another layer of frustration to an already heated clash between two Premier League giants.
With Liverpool now on the wrong end of three consecutive defeats, every refereeing decision feels even more magnified. For Chelsea, the victory will overshadow the controversies — but for neutrals and fans alike, Taylor’s performance once again shows how much refereeing decisions can shape the narrative of a match.
