Pedro, Morata suspended for Chelsea’s game away to Brighton on Saturday

Both Pedro and Alvaro Morata will be suspended for Chelsea’s next match, away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday after both players received their marching orders from Tom Henning Ovrebo Graham Scott on Wednesday in Chelsea’s hard-fought and hilarious penalty kick shootout win over Norwich City.

There isn’t much to complain about the Pedro incidents, with the former Barcelona man going back to his roots with a silly dive in the area — can he claim that he “slipped” and get credit for it instead, like Juan Mata managed just the other day? — and then stopping a counter attack in extra time with a foul on a slide tackle from behind (after he had to switch to left back with Kenedy withdrawn due to cramps).

But the debates around the Morata incident (and it’s just one incident) are just beginning, with a yellow given for a “dive” on a play that would’ve been a foul (or a no call) in any other area of the pitch but would never get called in the area unless the player actually goes down — Mr. Scott on a one-man mission to stamp out diving and also prove how useless this implementation of VAR is — and then a quick second yellow given for Morata’s dissent and/or imploring to use the VAR.

And this was after the referee (and the VAR?) denied Willian an obvious penalty (also got booked instead). Meanwhile, Morata was repeatedly bearhugged and kicked without a call from the referee (including once in the area; also uncalled).

As most observers agreed, it was all a bit of a shambles any way you look at it.

But hey, at least we won, right?