'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Gary Neville believes Chelsea star Ben Chilwell attempted to get Liverpool defender Conor Bradley sent off during the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, February 25.
The Reds lifted their first trophy of the season this weekend thanks to Virgil van Dijk's match-winning header in extra time (118'). The Dutch defender and Raheem Sterling found the back of the net for their respective sides during the regulation 90. However, both goals were ruled out due to offside.
Just before half-time, Chilwell and Bradley had a row after the pair challenged for the ball and clashed with each other,. It led to pushing and shoving between the Chelsea and Liverpool players.
While the altercation ultimately ended, Neville believes Chilwell tried to provoke a reaction out of Bradley and get him sent off by the referee. He said on commentary Sky Sports (as quoted by HITC):
“I think Chilwell is trying to get a reaction out of Bradley. He is trying to play the youngster. To be fair to Bradley, he has walked away. Chilwell is looking like he is angry, but he actually isn’t. He just wants to get that young man sent off."
He added:
“Chilwell is the one who pushes Bradley, he doesn’t do much, to be fair.”
Liverpool will next face Southampton at home in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday (February 28). Meanwhile, Chelsea will play their next fixture in the tournament against Leeds United at home.
"I think it’s not fair" - Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino responds to Gary Neville's 'billion pound bottle jobs' comment in Carabao Cup final against Liverpool
While on commentary for Sky Sports, Neville made a scathing comment about Pochettino's side after their defeat to Liverpool in the final. The pundit labeled Chelsea the 'billion-pound bottle jobs', alluding to the Blues' exorbitant transfer spend since Todd Boehly's takeover in 2002.
The west Londoners have splurged in excess of £1 billion in the transfer market over the past two years. Ultimately, they were unable to beat a Liverpool side missing multiple first-team players, including Alisson Becker, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah.
Pochettino, however, feels Neville's comments are unfair, insisting he was happy with his side's performance against the Merseysiders. The Chelsea boss said after the game (via The Guardian):
"I didn’t hear what he said, but if you compare the age of the two groups, I think it is similar. I have a good relationship with Gary and I don’t know if that’s how I can take this opinion. But I respect his opinion."
“We are a young team and it is nothing to compare with Liverpool just because they finished with also a few young players. He knows the dynamics are completely different. I think it’s not fair to talk in this way, if he said that.”
Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League standings despite their lavish spending while the Reds sit atop the table.
