Chelsea vs Man City ref watch: Three mistakes Darren England made in FA Cup final
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Credit: Imago Chelsea vs Man City ref watch: Three mistakes Darren England made in FA Cup final Sat 16 May 2026 16:58, UK Darren England walked out at Wembley Stadium with the match ball as Chelsea faced Manchester City in the FA Cup final.The Premier League giants played out a tightly fought affair on Saturday, 16 May, with Antoine Semenyo finally breaking the deadlock for the Citizens in the 72nd minute.Fresh off the controversy between West Ham and Arsenal, playing his part from Stockley Park, England took charge in Greater London, and there was a lot to unpackage during the 90 minutes.Man City eventually sealed a 1-0 win to lift the FA Cup for the eighth time in the club’s history, but the result could have very easily changed had a different referee been in charge. ⚽ Man City Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, tactical previews and expert breakdowns for every Manchester City fixture. VISIT THE MATCH HUBMarc Cucurella given early warning for dissentBefore being cautioned for a foul on Antoine Semenyo in the 32nd minute, Marc Cucurella failed to keep his emotions in check after what he thought should have been a Chelsea throw-in went the other way.
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES He continued to berate the assistant referee, even after the referee had stopped the game, and despite his anger, he was only given a warning, with captain Reece James also called over.ChelseavsMan City44%Possession56%15Fouls committed133Yellow cards1It could have set a poor precedent for the rest of the game, with England allowing players to walk all over him and his assistants.Darren England lets James Trafford off with time-wastingThe half-time whistle was yet to go, and Man City’s second-choice goalkeeper was already wasting time.Rodri was standing over the ball, ready to take a free-kick, only for the responsibility to be passed on to James Trafford, who took three run-ups to the ball, including one stutter, before clearing.Enzo Fernandez could have easily seen redEnzo Fernandez was the first player to have their name taken at Wembley Stadium, punished for a challenge on Bernardo Silva after winning the ball off Jeremy Doku.While he appeared to have won the ball cleanly, replays showed the Argentine launching himself into the tackle with two feet, which could have been extremely dangerous.Many would argue that the challenge was deserving of a red card, while others would debate that the decision would have ruined the game completely. Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Man City Insider Access Get the full story from the Etihad Stadium and CFA with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the Etihad Campus.