“Absolute joke”, “Even more ridiculous that VAR can’t intervene” – Fans raise voice against harsh red card for Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu
Fans on Twitter lambasted the red card Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu received during his team's 1-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Monday (August 21).
A Martin Odegaard penalty eight minutes into the second half was the difference between the two teams, but Tomiyasu's sending off was a huge talking point. The Japanese right-back - playing left-back on the night - received a yellow card for delaying a throw-in in the 60th minute.
That itself looked harsh in the first place, as much of the delay was due to the ball coming late from his teammate Kai Havertz. Moreover, with more than 30 minutes left in the game, time-wasting didn't make much sense.
The second yellow, though, was highly contentious, as Tomiyasu was penalised for the slightest of touches on Jordan Ayew far away from the penalty area. The Japanese defender's 67th-minute dismissal - Arsenal's first in the Premier League since the 2021-22 season - energised Palace.
The Gunners, though, held firm, especially in the final five minutes, when Palace carved out six chances. Mikel Arteta and Co. eventually emerged unscathed to go joint-top after two games, trailing surprise leaders Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City on goal difference.
Tomiyasu's red card, unsurprisingly, drew a plethora of angry reactions from fans, who were aghast that VAR didn't intervene and that the second yellow was too soft. One tweeted:
An account named "Has the Referee or VAR made a poor decision?" chimed in:
Here are the top Twitter reactions:
The Gunners beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 in their Premier League opener a week earlier.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was a pleased man after the game, as his side showed enough spirit and fight with a man down to eke out a win.
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