Football fans think the rash of bookings in the Premier League is a way of justifying Declan Rice’s controversial sending off before the international break.
The Arsenal midfielder received two yellow cards in the Gunners’ 1-1 stalemate with Brighton at the end of August, with the second one being for kicking the ball away. This meant he was out of action for the North London derby, but Arsenal still managed a 1-0 win over Tottenham without their £105million star.
The derby saw eight players booked, pushing the total for the gameweek to a whopping 60 – a record for the Premier League in a single week. The count rose even further with the afternoon match between Wolves and Newcastle, where six yellow cards were shown during the visitors’ comeback win, bringing the total to 65 yellows and one red, after Southampton’s Jack Stephens got his marching orders against Manchester United.
READ MORE: Bruno Fernandes remark shows what Man Utd squad really think of Jadon Sancho
READ MORE: Man City legend quits club as 115 charges hearing begins ‘to explore other career paths’
Earlier in the weekend, Chelsea’s victory at Bournemouth set a single-game record with 14 yellow cards for players, plus two for coaches, in what wasn’t even a particularly ill-tempered game. Fans didn’t hold back their feelings on Sunday, and Rice’s red card was mentioned more than once.
One social media post read: “65 yellow cards (a league record) for a Premier League matchday coming immediately after the noise around Declan Rice’s two yellows surely not coincidental,” adding: “Feels very much like a ‘lets prove we actually book players a lot’ directive that is quietly scrapped within weeks,” reports the Mirror.
What did you think of the yellow card frenzy this past Premier League weekend? Let us know in the comments section below
(Image: PA)
“The referees are over compensating for Rice’s red last week, so they are giving out yellows for any small thing,” wrote a second. “That’s how they’ve broken the record for cards given.”
“Feel like the Rice precedent is leading to so many yellows,” was the verdict from a third. “Instead of admitting a mistake (or considering their misconception), they’re doubling down.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca received a yellow card, but was relaxed about it. He said: “I complained about a foul on Wesley Fofana which for me was quite clear but it can happen.
“Eight yellow cards probably because these sort of games are about duels and fight and this can happen. It is not a problem for me with this amount of yellow cards. It is what it is. Sometimes the game demands the way you have to behave.”
“I will not talk about the referee,” Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said after his team fell to a late Chelsea winner. “I have been talking and it is not working so I have decide now I will try the opposite and see what happens.”