Cesc Fabregas said he was "not surprised" when he was denied a penalty against his former side on Sunday as Chelsea beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

The 28-year old midfielder was exceptional all game and almost won his side a penalty in the second half. The Chelsea man surged into the box before being body-checked by Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny. However, referee Mark Clattenburg saw nothing wrong with the challenge and allowed the hosts to play on, much to the dismay of Fabregas and Chelsea.

Chelsea would go on to win the game 1-0 thanks to Diego Costa's first half goal just a few minutes after Per Mertesacker had been sent off for fouling the eventual goal-scorer. 

Fabregas unsurprised

After the game, Fabregas spoke to Sky Sports about whether or not he should have been awarded a spot kick, saying that, "in [his] opinion, yes [he should have got one]. But the referee said no."

The Spaniard continued, saying there's nothing he can "do" as it's not his decision.

"It's not the first time, it's not the second time, it's not the third time that I was denied a penalty," Fabregas added, which is why he is "not surprised anymore" when decisions don't go his way.

Fabregas was denied a penalty when Koscielny sent him tumbling on Sunday. | Photo: Getty
Fabregas was denied a penalty when Koscielny sent him tumbling on Sunday. | Photo: Getty

Fabregas went on to say, "Yes, really. Counting last year. Maybe it's a coincidence." The midfielder was referring to last season when he was booked for diving against Southampton, but replays proved that he was clearly fouled in the box and a penalty should have been awarded.

If Clattenburg had awarded the penalty, Chelsea would've had a golden chance to extend their lead in the game and have some breathing room. In the end, the decision did not have an affect on the result but Fabregas did feel aggrieved that it was not given in his favour. 

Chelsea's win over Arsenal may be just what they need as they hope to go on a winning run to end the torrid campaign. Fabregas' form has picked up in recent weeks and the performance against his former side was arguably his best this season, suggesting there may still be life in their season.

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About the author
Harry  Harris
Covering the Premier League, Bundesliga and NFL. Writing for VAVEL since May 2014. Chelsea FC and Atlanta sports.