Chelsea players fuming as Reece James is sent off for controversial handball against Liverpool before HUGE bust-up

CHELSEA players reacted furiously with referee Anthony Taylor after Reece James was sent off for a controversial handball.

And then the Blues got themselves into a huge bust-up with Liverpool’s stars in a dramatic end to the first half at Anfield.

Sky SportsReece James made the block on the goalline but it bounced off his leg on to his hand[/caption]

GettyThe Chelsea players reacted angrily after conceding the equaliser[/caption]

Leading 1-0 in injury time, Chelsea failed to defend a corner properly as Joel Matip hit the bar and then James appeared to make a stunning goalline clearance to deny Sadio Mane.

But Taylor consulted the VAR monitor and saw the ball ricocheted off James’ thigh and up on to his arm before he thumped the ball clear.

And with that, the ref brandished the red card for the denying of a goalscoring opportunity.

Perplexed James could do nothing as his team-mates surrounded the man in black to make their feelings clear.

Antonio Rudiger earned himself a yellow card for dissent.

And then after Mo Salah kept his cool to dispatch the spot-kick, Edouard Mendy found himself in the book, too.

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As the ball came back out of the net, he attempted to swing a foot at it and almost caught Reds skipper Jordan Henderson who reacted angrily and sparked a shoving match between the two sets of players.

Things calmed down, allowing the final seconds of the first half to be played out.

But as soon as the whistle went, Jorginho, Mason Mount, Marcos Alonso and captain Cesar Azpilicueta surrounded Taylor once again to remonstrate and reason – still to no avail.

More to follow…