⚽️ Chelsea Beat Nine-Man Spurs in Red Card, VAR-Delayed Slog

Good morning. We could write 5,000 words about Tottenham Hotspur 1-4 Chelsea, but you wouldn’t read them. Instead, we’re going to try to distill the madness into a satisfying snack despite the fact that this match was a nine-course meal with some delicious stuff and some revolting stuff.

In the email today:

There were 12 added minutes at the end of the first half. With Chelsea playing 11-against 9, somehow, there were also nine added minutes at the end of the second half. From the opening kick to the final whistle, it was insanity. But not always the good kind.

• Chelsea and nine-man Tottenham was a chaotic affair with multiple goals ruled out for both teams by offside calls and VAR decisions.

• Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie received red cards for Tottenham, and Spurs also lost Micky van de Ven and James Maddison to injuries.

• Eric Dier's late potential equalizer for a decimated Spurs side was disallowed due to offside after a VAR review.

• Chelsea took a very long time to maximize its manpower advantage but eventually won the game, with Nicolas Jackson scoring two late goals en route to a hat trick to secure a 4-1 victory.

• Despite concerns about a negative reception, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was greeted with applause and embraced by some Spurs staff members after the match, while his tactics and substitutions played a crucial role in Chelsea's eventual victory.

Our take: This match set the Premier League back decades, reminding us all of a time where instant replays infuriated fans but at least there was finality in calls on the field. The match officials and the VAR got everything right in the end, but having it run to 110+ minutes without a significant injury is an indictment of where we have come.

2) 🔴 Marcus Rashford Wants the Noise to Die Down

Coming off a 17-goal 2022-2023 Premier League season, we’re confident that Marcus Rashford can count to one, i.e., he has one goal and one assist through 10 matches this season. Manchester United’s fan base isn’t the patient sort in the best of times. These are not the best of times, and so there are whispers about whether Rashford needs a change of scenery whether he wants it or not.

• Rashford has called for an end to gossip about his future at Manchester United after missing a recent game due to injury.

• Rashford faced criticism from manager Erik ten Hag for celebrating his birthday shortly after a 3-0 loss to Manchester City.

• Ten Hag confirmed that Rashford's absence in the following match was indeed due to injury.

• Rashford expressed his frustration with the spreading of malicious rumors on X (formerly Twitter).

Our take: United has a lot of problems, specifically a manager who seems to live in a constant state of denial and a goalkeeper who never seems to know whether to stay on his line or come flying off it like a banshee. Rashford just turned 26, so he’s still in his prime. If he was, say, 29, this conversation would make some sense. It makes no sense right now.

3) ❌’s of the Day: Show Mikel Arteta How to Respond to Calls Against His Team

4) 🗳️ Which EPL Team Will You Watch Today?

Have additional thoughts? Reply directly to this email to comment, and see if we include your response tomorrow.

5) 🔗 Links Roundup

• 🎩 Luton Town supporters have been threatened with bans after reports of classless chants at Liverpool fans surfaced.

• 🧠 A brain injury charity wants answers about how Harry Maguire’s recent head injury was handled.

The newsletter today was written by Phil Keidel. Follow Phil @philkeidel on X.

Thanks for reading!