The English Premier League once again saw red cards accompanied by early goals as Arsenal and Manchester United faced off against Fulham and Nottingham Forest respectively on Saturday, August 26th. The final scores saw Arsenal tied 2-2 with Fulham, while Manchester United edged out Nottingham Forest 3-2.
Considered a title contender, Arsenal fell to a shock early goal after only 57 seconds. Former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, now plying his trade at Fulham, gave Fulham the lead. This came from a long-range effort outside the box that caught Arsenal’s shot-stopper, Aaron Ramsdale, off his line.
On the other hand, Manchester United, labeled as “title pretenders” by some football pundits, received the shock of their lives. In front of their own fans at Old Trafford, United conceded two goals in three minutes. It was so shocking that even the Man United fans protesting “Glazers out” had to pause and take it in.
The Reign of Red Cards
By going one goal down, Arsenal fans became more optimistic about their side’s chances to equalize and possibly take the win. True to their fans’ expectations, Arsenal scored quick goals in the 70th minute with a Bukayo Saka penalty and a 72nd-minute strike by substitute Eddie Nketiah to take the lead.
To make matters worse, Fulham’s Calvin Bassey received a red card in the 83rd minute, much to the relief of Arsenal fans. It was almost game over for Fulham. However, never say never. João Palhinha scored for Fulham in the 87th minute to make the score 2-2. Arsenal attacked with full force to edge out a win, but in vain. Even the nine added minutes were not enough for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners as Fulham held on tightly for a point.
Man United’s story of survival began with Christian Eriksen’s strike in the 17th minute, making the score 1-2. This was followed by a Casemiro equalizer in the 52nd minute as the second half began. The Nottingham Forest red card came in the 67th minute as Joe Worrall received his second yellow card. Captain Bruno Fernandes then capped off United’s win with a 76th-minute penalty.
What’s Next?
Manchester United will visit Arsenal on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023, for a showdown that will kick off at exactly 17:30 East Africa Time. What are your predictions for this match? Let us know in the comments section below.
