Online Reporter
ENGLAND team-mates Declan Rice and Morgan Rogers locked horns in a furious row during Arsenal’s 2-1 derby win over Chelsea.
Rice, 27, and Rogers, 24, exchanged stern words in the second half after the former purposely tripped the Blues’ new signing off the ball as they mounted an attack in search of an equaliser.
The controversial incident took place on 83 minutes while the Blues were trailing and chasing an equaliser in the crunch derby.
Arsenal star Rice tried to catch up to Rogers, who was sprinting ahead towards the Gunners’ box.
The midfielder then tripped the Chelsea star killing the attack.
Rogers thought the ex-West Ham star did it on purpose to sabotage the Blues.
He was fuming and immeditely jumped up to challenge Rice, with the two England team-mates getting in each others’ faces and Rogers then shoving the former West Ham man.
Team-mates eventually separated them – and it was Rogers who was punished, getting a yellow card while Rice went unpunished.
While Rogers and Chelsea fans might complain at the decision, former Prem referee Mark Halsey revealed it only would have been a yellow card at most for Rice.
He told SunSport: “Rice’s foul on Rogers was missed by the referee. It would have only been a yellow card and VAR can’t get involved in an incident for that.”
Rogers had opened the scoring in the London derby inside two minutes, volleying in a lovely finish past David Raya before sticking his tongue out at the home fans.
But it was Arsenal who had the last laugh and took all three points – Kai Havertz equalising before Martin Odegaard scored the winner.
Rogers and Rice were key figures in the Three Lions’ run to third place during last summer’s 2026 World Cup, their best finish since winning the trophy in 1966.
And they almost ended up playing for the same club this past summer as Arsenal made Rogers their priority target.
However, Chelsea hijacked their London rivals’ pursuit and landed the ex-Villa star on a British and club record £117million. —Sun.
