Reece James controversially gets sent off after giving away a pen for handball

There was chaos at Anfield after Chelsea defender Reece James was controversially sent off for a handball against Liverpool.

Chelsea had taken the lead through Kai Havertz but gave away a penalty just before half-time after the ball struck James on the knee and it bounced up off his arm while he was standing on the line.

After a check by VAR it was judged that James had moved his arm towards the ball and a penalty and red card were shown.

Mo Salah converted from the penalty spot to draw Liverpool level before players from both team were involved in a heated exchange.

Both goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Antonio Rudiger were shown a yellow card for their protests in the aftermath as the referee had to calm the situation down.

Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink both agreed that the incident was worthy of a penalty.

The former Chelsea player though argued that James' arm was in a natural position.

Hasselbaink said: 'I think it's a natural position if you look he goes first with his knee and that's why his arm is moving as well. It hits his arm and the referee has a decision to make would I want the penalty there as well yes.

'It's the movement of the knee, the arm is going to go with you. You can't hold your arm behind your back and your knee goes up that's not natural but it happens. It is a penalty.'

His co-pundit Redknapp praised Sadio Mane's work in the lead-up to the penalty and said that a red card 'had to follow' as per the rules.

He said: 'Sadio Mane does incredible with that header then he stays alive on floor gets up quickly and Havertz is sleeping and he (Mane) knicks in front of him and does amazing for his team.

'I think Reece James just has a bit of a motion there with his right arm to try and clear the ball and it ends up being a handball.

'He denied a goalscoring opportunity a red card has to follow that's just the rule whether you like it or not. So I think Reece has used his right hand to try and clear the ball.'