Sunday Telegraph: Villa played as well as they could and Luke Moore gave them the lead with the first goal Chelsea had conceded in 756 minutes. The suspicion is that Frank Lampard's equalising free-kick was mis-hit, the midfielder's shot not going as high as he anticipated, but Juan Pablo Angel lent a helping hand by stepping away from the defensive wall while next man Patrik Berger should have done more than almost flinch.
By then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho clearly believed his side should have had a penalty but referee Barry Knight seemed to get this decision correct with John Terry guilty of an 'air shot' or at most his kicking leg catching Gareth Barry rather than any foul by the Villa player.
Chelsea's winning goal was an easy penalty decision awarded when Olof Mellberg clumsily brought down Didier Drogba, though between them Knight and assistant referee Bernard Baker should have seen an obvious handball by Eidur Gudjohnsen near the halfway line in the build-up. Then, when Lampard beat Thomas Sorensen from the spot, Knight should have ordered a retake as Drogba was two yards inside the penalty area as the ball was struck with Gudjohnsen a short-head behind. The referee's job at a penalty is to watch for encroachment, not goalkeeper movement (only the assistant can advise a retake for off-the-line offences) and the Blues were fortunate to have a double rub of the green to make it seven wins out of seven.
chelsea lucky again!!
