Chelsea legend Joe Cole has slammed Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for his “terrible tackle” on Cole Palmer during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over the Foxes at the King Power Stadium.

The incident, which occurred in the 23rd minute, saw Palmer in visible pain after Ndidi’s reckless high tackle caught the Blues star on his Achilles.

Despite the severity of the challenge, Ndidi was only shown a yellow card, a decision that left many—including Joe Cole—shaking their heads.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Cole didn’t hold back in his assessment:

“That tackle, he could hurt him there. If VAR is ever going to step in for reckless endangerment of a player. It’s a terrible tackle.”

The former Chelsea midfielder expressed disbelief at Ndidi’s leniency, adding, “This is a game Leicester, where they were miles off it, and at the height of their frustration.

“He’s lost his rag, he should be sent off. He nearly scores the equaliser. If he plays a part in getting Leicester back in the game, I’d imagine Enzo Maresca will be furious.”

The tackle marred an otherwise brilliant Chelsea performance in the first half, where Nicolas Jackson’s composed finish in the 15th minute gave the Blues a deserved lead. On Enzo Maresca’s first match against his former club, Chelsea dominated possession and set the tempo early on.

Peter Crouch, also on pundit duty, echoed Joe Cole’s sentiments about the tackle, calling for such dangerous challenges to be eradicated from the game. “I agree with Joe. It’s dangerous. That could snatch his Achilles, and that’s something we stamp out of the game.”

Palmer was fortunately able to continue, but the challenge could have had serious implications for Chelsea’s rising star, who has been pivotal in recent weeks.

As Blues fans, we can only share Joe Cole’s frustration and relief that Palmer wasn’t sidelined by Ndidi’s reckless play. VAR must do better to protect players from such challenges in the future.