Straight red for Costa. You cannot raise your hands against another person. Ronaldo got a red for stroking someone's face, choking should be an instant red.

yaya toure is a bully. see what he did to mata last time

And then he grabs his shoulder and you realize it was friendly.

"and you realize it was friendly". just look at hazard reaction, and you realized there was nothing friendly about toure the big bully's action

If you watched the match, you would know that Costa was friendlier than usual. He got up and Pablo tried to be friendly, so he pushed his hands off, and only gave a slight touch around the neck. Then he walked away. That's good behaviour from Costa. If I was Pablo, I wouldn't have done that tackle, let alone comfort Costa. Costa is the boss.

Bunch of haters here lol he made a fault and got a yellow card, and why are you guys whining about it?

@Eden

" If I was Pablo, I wouldn't have done that tackle, let alone comfort Costa. Costa is the boss."

It shows courtesy that Zabaleta tried to apologize to Costa after tackling him. 'Costa is the boss' attitude is what most people dislike in Chelsea fans.

@Cavin11

"Bunch of haters here lol he made a fault and got a yellow card, and why are you guys whining about it?"

Because the incident was a part of the reason Zabaleta got sent off, and why City only managed to tie the match. As for me, I am an avid fan of Chelsea and Mourinho, but I tend to dislike Chelsea fans for their behavior. You behave just how Manchester United fans used to behave when their club was the best in the world. Maybe another 6th place league finish will humble all Chelsea supporters? I don't know.

Yellow was right. i thought the game was destroyed by that sending off. but city stand tall and strong to get a draw from the on-loan Lampard.

@Dynastian98 i agree with your statement. Costa aint no boss. but surely a beast.

How do you know Pablo was apologising. He isn't the nicest guy, and just watch the Tunnel Cam video.

Why on earth would that be a red card? Its seems bad but I dont think he was actually trying to stroke him, the image doesn't help. Also I believe the red card for Zabaleta or the posible red card for Costa wouldn't had made much difference, the game would have probably ended in a tie as well.

^
If you watched the game, it was a yellow, but having got one before he was sent off.

Im saying that Zabaleta's red card didnt change the game that much, if he wasnt sent of or if both would have been sent off the result would probably had been the same.

Guys, Yaya was joking with Hazard. Toure shouldn't have done that in the heat of the game, but Hazard knows Toure well enough. They're good friends. Let's not act stupid.

@quickzy and kambingku he has something against chelsea no. 10 player.

" only gave a slight touch around the neck. " I got enough, right now.

Zabaleta deserved that, he try to provoke first! You can see in the tunnel cam video that he's friend with nobody while Kolarov seems very appreciated...

@dyanstian98

How do you assume my reaction would have been ban him for such regular challenge ? Do you take me for a person who started watching football yesterday ?

This is a standard conflict that happens every week and Zabaleta was dumba*ss of past week to put hands on another player's neck . I don't know if this is how they apologize back in Argentina but in England , even outside of football , that it is taken as an assault and reaction from Costa was completely appropriate .Yeah, maybe little overboard because it is a football match. but that is why he got yellow for it .

And SUAREZ HAS BITTEN ANOTHER HUMAN BEING . WTF ? Not only it is improper conduct it is just plain craziness ! Do you know what they do to people who bite other people in normal society ? Yeah , they keep them in MENTAL Hospitals ! So , I say lucky Suarez got away with few months ban .

@Marcus

So putting your hand on the back of someone's neck and bringing your head in close to speak to them is 'assault'? What world do you live in? Assault is when Costa grabbed Zabaleta by the neck. Be realistic, your argument for Costa's reaction is absurd.

I understand if you don't think it's a red card, you're entitled to your own opinion. But Costa's reaction was worse than Zabaleta's challenge. Diego Costa has a reputation of spitting, shoving, and getting underneath other players' skins. You should learn to accept it, not try and justify him putting his hands around another player's neck in a choking position. I accept Pepe and Ramos are dirty players, do you see me defending them when they do dirty things? Then why are you over-reacting over such a small argument? It seems that your reaction is just as bad as Costa's.

Putting your arms behind someone and speaking to them is a world-wide gesture of kindness and concern.

^ 'Assault', as per the words of @Marcus2011

@dyanstian98

Do a social experiment . Go outside and grab someone by the neck to ask for direction to a bus stop ... Or Knock someone on the ground and raise them on to their feet by grabbing their neck and try to have a conversation with them . I would really love to hear how that works out for you .

I am just going to leave this video below instead of a pictures like you do

"Diego Costa has a reputation of spitting, shoving, and getting underneath other players' skins."

He is in the new club , new league and starts a new chapter in his new career with new image . I don't judge him on his acts of the past . Particularly , this is separate incident that happened few days ago and i support his reaction 100% . Eye for an eye , tooth for a tooth . He got yellow for it and it was deserved . So as far his past I really don't care.

And one final reason why I have sympathy for Costa , it is because I play as forward and get heavy tackles constantly . So , recently I had similar case , and opposition player did exactly same thing as what Zabaleta , grabbed me by the neck to talk to me or apologize as he claimed later . I had almost similar reaction as Costa did . If he wanted to apologize pat on my shoulder and words of apology would have been enough , not grabbing me by my neck in the heat of the moment to pull me closer to talk to me . WTF .

"Putting your arms behind someone and speaking to them is a world-wide gesture of kindness and concern."

yeah not pulling them by the neck to speak kindness and concern ....

@Marcus

Again, Zabaleta didn't 'grab' him, or treat him roughly. The tackle was unfair, and the foul and yellow were rightly given. Your love for retaliation is exactly what ruins society.

"Eye for an eye , tooth for a tooth"

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. I'll leave you with that quote by Mohandas Gandhi to ponder amongst yourself about 'retaliation', and whether it should be tolerated on a football pitch or not.

@dynastian98

What I understood , you do not like that Costa reacted back in such way . He got yellow for it though , so his actions were punished . He did not chock Zabaleta , but only pushed his hands away and push him by the neck . Zabaleta pulled Costa by the neck and Costa pushed him by the neck . Both got yellow and Zabaleta was the one who started this fuss .

To me it was not retaliation but simple defense . Retaliation is strong word and in my opinion does not apply here hence Costa's actions were defensive reaction .