Mark Clattenburg shares his honest verdict after Moises Caicedo is sent off against Arsenal

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Mark Clattenburg spoke exclusively to Arsenal Insider amid Anthony Taylor’s dramatic start at Stamford Bridge between Arsenal and Chelsea.

In a top-of-the-table blockbuster, Arsenal visited Chelsea on matchday 13 at a hostile Stamford Bridge.

It’s always a feisty occasion when the two London rivals face each other, and it was no different in their first meeting of the 2025/26 season.

From the first whistle, referee Anthony Taylor made his presence known, showing several early yellow cards as well as dismissing Moises Caicedo. 

Mark Clattenburg says Moises Caicedo deserved his red card against Arsenal

There’s been a lot of talk comparing Caicedo and Declan Rice, but fans were only able to see 38 minutes of the clash before the Ecuadorian was sent off. 

VAR intervened to send the midfielder off after a terrible challenge on Mikel Merino, a foul that legendary referee Mark Clattenburg has given his verdict on. 

Speaking exclusively to Arsenal Insider, Clattenburg insisted there was ‘no doubt’ that Caicedo’s red was the correct call.

“There is no doubt that Moises Caicedo deserved a red card for a shocking tackle that caught his opponent above the foot, which could easily endanger the safety of his opponent.

“Some will argue that the early yellow cards have created this tension, but that is looking for excuses for such a tackle.”

It was a dreadful tackle and an incident that VAR handled well, forcing Caicedo to head down the tunnel far earlier than Enzo Maresca would’ve wanted.

Mark Clattenburg analyses Anthony Taylor’s performance in Arsenal vs Chelsea

Clattenburg didn’t just comment on Caicedo’s red card, but also on what unfolded earlier in the first half.

Four yellow cards were shown within the first 27 minutes of the game, with the first coming after just five minutes had been played.

Taylor made it rain yellow cards early into the derby, which was frustrating in a fixture of high emotion, but Clattenburg gave a different perspective on the referee’s performance.

In Clattenburg’s eyes, it was important for Taylor to lay down the law where he thought it was appropriate early into the contest, which he did.

It was a dramatic start to the match, as is to be expected in a London derby, with all eyes on Taylor early on.