By admin
Arsenal’s disciplinary record has changed their prospects of winning the Premier League this season. The game-changing moment for the Gunners, who lost 2-0 to Bournemouth on Saturday, occurred in the 30th minute when VAR gave William Saliba a straight red for his tackle.
He has now been sent off three times in eight Premier League games this season, after being sent off by Declan Rice against Brighton in August and Leandro Trosardi against Manchester City in September. Since Mikel Arteta took over as manager on December 26, 2019, Arsenal has received 18 Premier League red cards—six more than any other side.
If they are given another red card this season, it will tie Everton’s record of 108 red cards in Premier League history. Additionally, it might mean the end of their chances of unseating Manchester City and taking home the English league title for the first time since The Incredibles in 2004. Numbers don’t lie. It must be acknowledged that a Premier League team seldom completes a Championship season without a player receiving a suspension.
Only three teams have accomplished it: Chelsea in 2004–05, Manchester United in 1992–93, and Chelsea in 2016–17. Of the 32 Premier League seasons, 17 championship winners have avoided receiving three or more red cards. Thirteen of the 20 league winners had received three or more red cards by the 2011–12 season. The team who won the most reds (6) in 2001–02 was Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, who had to win 13 straight games in a late-game surge to overtake Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester.
