Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech has red card changed to yellow after VAR check vs Spurs

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Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech was shown a red card against Tottenham, but earned a reprieve after it was quickly changed to yellow

Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech is shown a red card in the Blues' Premier League game at Tottenham, but it is changed to a yellow following a VAR check.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech was sent off and then brought back on again in a bizarre incident at the end of the first half of the Blues' London derby away to Tottenham on Sunday.

Ziyech was initially shown the red card by referee Stuart Attwell after he appeared to push Tottenham's Emerson Royal in the face during a melee late in the opening period, but was then told not to leave the pitch as the official went over to watch the incident again on the monitor.

After watching several replays on the pitch-side screen, Attwell crossed his arms in a gesture to rule out the red card and instead produced a yellow for the Moroccan attacker.

Replays showed that Ziyech did catch Emerson in the face, but his hand appeared to slip after he pushed the Brazilian on the shoulder.

The melee started after the former Ajax player had fouled Richarlison, but he earned a reprieve and will be out again for the second half.

Tottenham came closest to scoring in the first half after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's deflected effort hit the post earlier.

Chelsea had earlier lost Thiago Silva to injury, with Wesley Fofana coming on in his place.

Oliver Skipp blasted Spurs into the lead early in the second half.

Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.