As Chelsea rescued a late 1-0 win against Bournemouth, the Premier League witnessed the most number of yellow cards shown in a game on Saturday, September 14.
Anthony Taylor was in charge of the match and brandished a record 14 yellow cards, including bookings for both teams’ managers, Enzo Maresca and Andoni Iraola.
Taylor issued 14 yellow cards for 25 fouls committed by both teams, with many of the bookings resulting from dissent and unsportsmanlike conduct. Bournemouth were awarded a penalty in the first half, which led to a yellow card for Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Both managers were also booked during the closely contested match, though these bookings do not affect the official tally.
Chelsea secured a narrow win at the Vitality Stadium despite being under pressure for much of the game. Christopher Nkunku scored the decisive goal in the 86th minute, assisted by debutant Jadon Sancho. This victory moves Enzo Maresca’s team into seventh place, with two wins from their first four games.
The previous record of 13 yellow cards was set last season during Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over Sheffield United. In that match, Ange Postecoglou’s team scored twice in stoppage time to secure a dramatic win. Sheffield United ended the game with 10 players after Oli McBurnie received a second yellow card in the final minute, setting the record.
Enzo Maresca hasn’t had a terrific start to the season as he is yet to determine his go-to playing XI. However, two wins in four games do give him some time to figure out the best combination for his side going forward in the season.
First Published: Sep 15 2024 | 5:34 PM IST