Arsenal sent Chelsea red card verdict as new BBC pundit agrees with Wayne Rooney
Gabriel Magalhaes could have been sent off
Ashley Young agreed with Wayne Rooney that Gabriel Magalhaes should have been sent off during Arsenal's win over Chelsea. The Gunners halted Chelsea's momentum and preserved their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 victory at the Emirates.
Chelsea struck first, with Morgan Rogers scoring inside two minutes - making the Blues the first team in Premier League history to net within the opening five minutes of each of their first three matches. Kai Havertz equalised before the half‑hour, slipping the ball through Maxence Lacroix's legs and beating Emi Martinez at his near post.
Moments after the restart, Martin Odegaard f ired Arsenal ahead after linking sharply with his striker. Echoing his Community Shield assist last month, Christos Tzolis cut inside and split Chelsea open with a piercing pass through the heart of their defence.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
The scoreline might have looked very different had Gabriel been dismissed just five minutes in. The Arsenal defender appeared to catch Chelsea goalkeeper Martinez in the head with his boot, prompting furious reactions from several Chelsea players.
Martinez stayed down in clear discomfort and required treatment. Referee Chris Kavanagh's view was blocked by bodies in the box, and VAR chose not to advise a pitchside review.
Speaking on BBC's Match of the Day, the Manchester United icon Rooney, said: "You don’t really see it at first sight but then when you see a replay and they slow it down.
"Martinez has got the ball in his hands and Gabriel boots him in the head, he swings a leg and goes way over the top. He's extremely lucky to stay on the pitch."
Former England defender Young added: "I agree. When the ball is on the floor and Martinez has it, Gabriel kicks so high. I’m not sure why it hasn’t gone to VAR of if they’ve properly studied it because he’s nowhere the ball. He’s got away with one there."
Despite the controversy, Arsenal made it three wins from three, and Mikel Arteta's title defence is already gathering momentum.
"We are very happy and we need to continue to raise the bar and look to improve every single time," Arteta said in response to their start of the campaign.
"There are still a lot of margins to do that. But we need to enjoy the victory now because it was a big one today."
Manchester City have also collected nine points from their opening three fixtures, while Xabi Alonso's side now trail by three after the Gunners came from behind at the Emirates to see off their rivals.
Arsenal now turn their attention to Europe, facing Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday, before travelling to Sunderland for Saturday's 8pm Premier League kick-off.
Official premium experiences at the Emirates are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
Choose Football London as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
