Christopher Nkunku found himself at the center of controversy during Chelsea’s dominant 5-0 FA Cup victory against Morecambe in the third round at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, overwhelming favorites, appeared to be in full control when awarded a penalty in the 17th minute following a handball by Yann Songo’o. However, Morecambe players claimed the ball had already gone out of play before Joao Felix’s involvement.
With regular penalty taker Cole Palmer unavailable, Nkunku took the spot kick but was brilliantly denied by Harry Burgoyne. The Morecambe goalkeeper didn’t stop there, making two more incredible saves, first blocking Nkunku’s rebound and then thwarting Felix’s follow-up attempt, earning widespread praise.
Yet, replays revealed Burgoyne had stepped off his line during Nkunku’s penalty, a violation that would typically lead to a retake.
Without VAR in this stage of the FA Cup, the decision stood, sparking debate. Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis noted, “If VAR had been there, the penalty would’ve been retaken. But it’s a brilliant save nonetheless.”
Paul Merson and Chelsea fans shared their frustrations online, criticizing both the officiating and Nkunku’s penalty attempt.
Comments ranged from “bad penalty” to accusations of poor officiating, with some even questioning Nkunku’s future at Chelsea.
Despite the controversy, Nkunku redeemed himself by scoring Chelsea’s second goal in the second half. Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Felix each scored twice, sealing a comprehensive 5-0 victory. The win sent Chelsea to the FA Cup fourth round and ended their four-game winless streak.