Lucky escape: Chelsea’s Jackson avoids red card despite appearing to slap Ola Aina’s teammate

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson found himself at the centre of controversy during a heated exchange in his team’s 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.

The dramatic incident, which could have led to serious consequences, saw Jackson avoid a red card after appearing to slap Forest defender Morato during a chaotic brawl.

The clash between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest was already intense, but things got more heated towards the end of the match when tensions boiled over between the players and even the coaching staff.

It all started when Forest defender Neco Williams shoved Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, sending him into Blues boss Enzo Maresca, and sparking a full-blown melee.

Despite being substituted before the incident, Jackson found himself at the heart of the scuffle and footage appears to show Jackson attempting to slap Forest defender Morato in the face.

However, despite the footage, Jackson escaped punishment even after extensive VAR review, while other players, including Neco Williams, Marc Cucurella, and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, were all cautioned for their roles in the brawl.

While Jackson avoided a red card and subsequent suspension, the same could not be said for the rest of Chelsea’s squad.

The match was marked by a flurry of yellow cards, with six Chelsea players booked during the heated encounter. Along with Cucurella and Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Pedro Neto also found themselves in the referee’s book.

The consequences of Chelsea’s indiscipline will extend beyond this match, as both Cucurella and Fofana have accumulated five yellow cards this season, meaning they will now be suspended for Chelsea’s upcoming clash against Liverpool after the international break.

In addition to that, Chelsea will also be fined £50,000 for failing to control their players, who accumulated half a dozen yellow card.