A controversial celebration has set women’s football ablaze in discussion after Erin Cuthbert scored for Chelsea in their 5-0 win over Everton on Sunday.
After Scotland international Cuthbert hit the back of the net, she and teammate Johanna Rytting Kaneryd lifted their hands in celebration.
Fans immediately jumped to the conclusion that they were poking fun at Arsenal defender Leah Williamson as she is known to raise her hand multiple times during a game to claim an offside call.
Chelsea players clarify controversial celebration
However, post-match Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones gave a different explanation for the celebration.
She told Sky Sports: “In training yesterday we were doing some finishing practices and we had one of the academy keepers train up and she did a save, I’m not going to re-enact it, but she did a save by just sticking her hand up. Erin found it extremely funny and I think she had a bet on doing it today. That was the reasoning behind it.”
Cuthbert also took to Instagram to clarify the same reasoning after the discussions around Williamson continued. She shared a photo from training with a player with their hand in the air.
Despite the clarifications from the Chelsea camp, supporters have continued to speculate on social media.
One wrote: “If you didn’t find Erin Cuthbert and jrk celly funny unfollow me”, and another added: “Erin Cuthbert goal and the Leah Williamson cele was poetic.”
But others are trying to quell the rumours, with one supporter posting: “Creating drama unnecessarily! Celebration has been explained and there is a video clip showing it. A 3rd choice keeper making a save against Cuthbert by standing still and putting her hand up. Nothing to do with Arsenal.”
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The win against Everton means Chelsea remain unbeaten in the Women’s Super League this season. In FourFourTwo’s view the only club who can stop the Blues from winning a sixth consecutive WSL title is Manchester City.
New manager Sonia Bompastor has also become the first Chelsea manager to win all five of her first WSL matches.
Everton, meanwhile, sit in the relegation spot with no wins from six games.
