In the recent Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton, a contentious incident involving Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has sparked debate among football analysts and fans alike.

During the first half at Goodison Park, Pickford made a high-risk challenge on Gusto inside the penalty area. The incident drew parallels to a previous challenge by Pickford on Virgil van Dijk during the 2020-2021 season, which resulted in a serious injury to the Liverpool defender.

Speaking on ESPN, former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley weighed in on the situation:

“The challenge was very similar to one on Virgil van Dijk in [the] COVID era, when Pickford came out and scissored Van Dijk; I think he ruptured his ACL and was out for one season.”

Burley emphasized the recurring nature of such challenges by Pickford, adding:

“He does do these things now and again. Obviously, yesterday Gusto was a lot luckier than Van Dijk. But it’s a dangerous challenge.”

The incident was reviewed by VAR, but no penalty or red card was awarded. Burley expressed his confusion over this decision:

“I agree, I don’t know why VAR didn’t say to the ref you’ve missed this here; it could be a penalty, could be a red card. It’s dangerous and it’s reckless because it certainly was a penalty.”

Supporting this viewpoint, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher also believed that Pickford was fortunate to avoid punishment. Gallagher noted:

“Pickford has chosen not to be a goalkeeper here; he’s chosen to be an outfield player. If a full-back makes that challenge, he’s going to give a penalty away.”

The match concluded in a 0-0 draw, with Chelsea missing the opportunity to temporarily move to the top of the Premier League table. The decision not to penalize Pickford’s challenge has added to the post-match discussions, with many questioning the consistency of officiating and VAR interventions in such critical moments.

As the debate continues, this incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by referees and the VAR system in making split-second decisions that can significantly impact the outcome of matches.