Christopher Nkunku found himself at the centre of controversy during Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe, sparking a heated debate among fans and pundits.

The Blues were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute following a handball by Yann Songoo, although Morecambe’s players argued the ball had gone out of play before Joao Felix’s cross.

With regular penalty taker Cole Palmer on the bench, Nkunku stepped up but was denied by goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne, who also saved Nkunku’s rebound and a subsequent attempt from Felix failed to find the net.

Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis praised Burgoyne’s efforts on Final Score, calling it “an absolutely stunning save” but noted the controversy: “Unfortunately, the goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne does come off his line. If VAR had been there, there would have been a retake of that penalty. But, there isn’t VAR and it’s a brilliant save for Morecambe.”

Arsenal legend Paul Merson echoed the sentiment on Sky Sports, saying, “The Morecambe keeper was miles off his line for the penalty.”

Chelsea fans took to social media to voice their frustration. One fan, @ClearlakeWon, tweeted, “Keeper wasn’t on the line… but bad pen.” Another, @cfc_lennox, quipped, “Morecambe goalkeeper was 5 miles off his line.” Meanwhile, @TopFancfc expressed concern about officiating standards, adding, “These refs need to know better. Lower league goalkeepers would likely not stay on the line.”

Some fans even criticised Nkunku directly, with @MilaVlbezCFC suggesting, “Nkunku doing everything he can to make Chelsea sell him amid reports that the forward is unhappy with his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge.”

Despite the penalty drama, Nkunku redeemed himself by scoring Chelsea’s second goal early in the second half. Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Felix each bagged braces, securing a dominant 5-0 victory for the Blues and ending their four-game winless streak.

The result sees Chelsea advance to the FA Cup fourth round, but the penalty incident remains a talking point among fans and pundits alike.