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Chelsea news: Police expected to intervene over Mykhailo Mudryk controversy - expert
Referee Robert Jones should have stopped the match between Arsenal and Chelsea after fans used a laser pen on Mykhailo Mudryk.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and English top-flight referee Keith Hackett, who was speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the incident at The Emirates.
Mudryk was introduced as a second-half substitute by Frank Lampard and was greeted by boos after snubbing a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window.
A supporter then proceeded to target Mudryk with a laser pen at The Emirates in an attempt to distract the 22-year-old Ukrainian winger.
The Evening Standard reported on Wednesday (3 May) that an Arsenal fan has since been arrested for shining the laser.
Hackett believes laser pens should be treated equally to drones at football stadiums and urged referees to stop matches if a similar incident ever occurs.
“I think the referee should have stopped the game,” Hackett told Football Insider.
“He should definitely have brought it to the attention of the stewards so action could have been taken.
“The PGMOL with the Premier League may have agreed with clubs that they can alert the chief commander at the ground to allow the police to find the culprit.
“But on the face of it, a laser pen is in the same category as a drone and so for the safety of players, it would have been best to stop the game and make an announcement around the ground.
“I don’t think it can be ignored.“
In other news, Chelsea takeover plot revealed as Todd Boehly eyes summer deal