by Arsenal could equal an unwanted red card record in the Premier League if one of their players is dismissed in Sunday’s crucial game against Liverpool at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta‘S arsenal could equal an unwanted Premier League disciplinary record in Sunday’s crucial clash Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners return home after an unsuccessful trip to the south coast last weekend where they lost William Saliba to an early red card in one 0-2 defeat against Bournemouththeir first defeat of the season in a competition.
Saliba was initially booked for a last-man foul Evanilsonbut the Frenchman’s penalty was upgraded to a red card according to the referee Rob Jones checked the incident on the pitchside monitor.
The Frenchman’s sending off meant Arsenal, who were also seen receiving their third Premier League red card in just eight games Declan Rice And Leandro Trossard Take the path of shame in 2024-25.
Rice already had a yellow card when he delayed the restart Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albionbefore Trossard did the same with a yellow card 2-2 draw against Manchester City last month.
Arsenal are trying not to equal Liverpool’s record
© Imago
If Arsenal’s indiscipline comes to the fore again and the Gunners go down to ten players on Sunday, they will equal the undesirable Premier League record of four red cards in the first nine games of a single season.
Liverpool is one of three teams from this exclusive club and has already received four red cards twice in the first nine games of a season, including in the 2023/24 season Jurgen Klopp.
Last year the Reds had Alexis Mac Allister sent off in the second game week against Bournemouth, Virgil van Dijk sent off in the third game week against Newcastle United and both Curtis Jones And Diogo Jota ejected against Tottenham Hotspur in the seventh game week.
Liverpool also suffered from a series of offenses in the early stages of the 1999/00 season Steven Gerrard, Frank Sinclair, Sander Westerveld And Steve Staunton all received red cards within three games.
The first club to receive four red cards in the first nine gameweeks of a Premier League season was Leicester City in the 1994/95 season, while Sunderland suffered the same fate in 1996/97.
How can Arsenal replace Saliba against Liverpool?
© Imago
Perhaps a better question would be whether Arsenal can replace Saliba – the Gunners have won just 45% of Premier League games in which he was not involved, compared to 74% with the impressive 23-year-old in the team.
Saliba’s ban comes at a time when Jurrien Timber However, is on the road to recovery from a muscle problem Arteta insisted on this in his pre-match press conference that the Dutchman was pushing to make the breakthrough.
If Timber is fit, it’s either him or her Ben White could act as Gabriel Magalhaesis the key defensive partner, although the Englishman could still fill that role Thomas Partey Acting as a right-back when Timber is excluded.
Jakub Kiwior That can’t be ruled out entirely either, but Arteta is unlikely to consider the Pole for the role of Saliba’s deputy for two reasons: Firstly, he and Gabriel are both left-footed.
Secondly, Kiwior endured a disastrous display at Bournemouth after coming on as a first-half substitute and giving the Cherries a penalty Justin Kluivert hide at home before becoming withdrawn himself.
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