Soucek explains he did not give away a penalty

Tomas Soucek made what looked like a brilliant one handed save to stop an 89th minute  goal bound shot and then made it clear that “no penalty ” was absolutely the correct decision.

Whilst every pundit in the stadium said it should have been  the Hammers No 28  made it clear that this was certainly not the case.

And it boils down to the fact that he knows the laws of the game and was quick to explain what even Hammers pundit Joe Cole and former central defender Rio Ferdinand claimed should have been a spot kick.

Referee Craig Pawson and VAR Neil Swarbrick both decreed that the situation should not be penalised by a spot-kick, play went on, and the Irons secured a battling 1-1 draw.

Of course, the Chelsea players were not happy, and nor was the Blues’ social media team, but, by the Laws of the Game, the correct decision had been made.

Soucek explained: “My father [František] was a goalkeeper, so I did a save! No, it wasn’t [a penalty] because I just fell on the floor and I know the rules that if I am on the floor and I touch the floor with my hand, even if the ball touches it, it is not handball, so I was quite clear that it’s not, but you never know what can show.

It was really difficult for me, because I scored just one minute before that, so in my head it was in, but by the rules I was quite sure it would not be a penalty.”

With Lucas Paqueta leaving the field injured Soucek played a big part in the game and is ready to step in if the Brazilian’s  injury extends over the weeks.

He said: “Yes, I will be ready to do whatever it takes – if we need a goalkeeper, I will go there, and if it is somewhere else, I want to play as many games as I can.

“I played nearly every game since I came, so I am ready. The last two games I was on the bench, but I was still ready to play and whenever I get called, I am ready to challenge.”