It could be argued that this weekend saw the most important instalment of Friday Night Football of the season as it was the one in which the Premier League champions were crowned.
Chelsea claimed the Premier League title on Friday night with two games to spare as they registered a 1-0 victory over West Brom at the Hawthorns.
A late Michy Batsuhuayi goal delivered all three points necessary to guarantee the Blues would get their hands on the trophy in Antonio Conte’s debut season in England.
As has been the case when rare Friday night games took place throughout the campaign, Sky broadcast the match on Friday Night Football. But supporters noticed the glaring absence of regular presenter Rachel Riley when this weekend’s edition went live.
Seven days removed from her comments on Spurs, for which she claims she received “hideous personal abuse”, Riley was nowhere to be seen.
Deja Vu, she said
Bottle job, she added #Properhttps://t.co/HHFYbogPPX— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 6, 2017
“It’s Deja Vu for Spurs, isn’t it? Proper bottle job,” Riley said after Spurs fell to a surprise defeat at West Ham last weekend, ruining their title hopes.
And more than a few viewers noticed the distinct lack of Riley when Friday Night Football rolled around this week.
Some supporters were concerned that she’d decided to take herself out of the limelight after the negative response to her remarks online.
@RachelRileyRR Why aren't you on FNF? Please say you've not let the Trolls win.
— Milennial Rage (@milennialrage) May 12, 2017
@RachelRileyRR why are you not on @SkySports #fnf ?? I hope you haven't let the disgusting trolls win or Sky haven't hung you out to dry 🙁
— Rohan J Sagar (@rjsagar) May 12, 2017
Others drew the conclusion that Sky Sports had decided to withdraw her from the fray.
Has @RachelRileyRR been binned from Friday Night Football after her "bottle job" comment?
— Richard Hodges (@richowenhodges) May 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/Skeems1/status/863099632766922752
The same joke did the rounds.
I hear Rachel Riley bottled it last night then ?
— James Beckley (@Chatabecks) May 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/PJeffz/status/863100024372301825
https://twitter.com/paulbestall/status/863123559916474369
While some fans clearly missed her.
@SkyFootball should have binned off Jamie Redknapp for @RachelRileyRR. No offence Jamie 😢😢😢
— David Hoey (@hoeysloth) May 12, 2017
No @RachelRileyRR ? Jibbing Friday night football right off, Rugby it is!
— Tom Millward (@tommillward11) May 12, 2017
But luckily for that lot, she wasn’t too far away as they were able to get their fix on Sky’s Fantasy Football Club.
Yay @RachelRileyRR is back on fantasy football club 😂😂😍
— Callum Halpin (@Callum_Halpin95) May 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/DarrenLittle83/status/863078275530330112
