João Gomes had a Premier League debut he’ll be hard-pressed to forget, as his first appearance for Aston Villa was marred by a red card in the 40th minute.
The 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder was shown a red card in the away match against Brighton, in a game that unfolded in the worst possible way for his team. Aston Villa suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat, having been reduced to ten men before the first half had even ended.
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João Gomes’s ejection was not just a difficult moment in his debut; it also placed him on a unique Premier League list.
Since the 2000–01 season, only six players have been sent off sooner in their first appearance in the English league.
At the top of that list is Christian Nguayi, who was sent off just three minutes into his debut with Manchester City during the 2004–05 season. Next is Everton’s Ian Turner, who was sent off in the 9th minute, while Blackburn’s Stephen Reid was shown a red card in the 12th minute.
Fourth on the list is Jack Colback, who was sent off in the 13th minute while playing for Sunderland, while Anas Zarouri lasted 29 minutes in his debut with Burnley. Samba Diakité follows with 33 minutes for QPR.
João Gomes is now in seventh place on this list, having been sent off in the 40th minute. Behind him are Kagiso Dikgako with 42 minutes, João Félix with 58, and Bernardo Corradi with 63.
The afternoon in Brighton was a total nightmare for Aston Villa. The home team took the lead with an own goal by Victor Lindelöf in the 8th minute, while Maxime de Keper made it 2-0 in the 18th minute. Jack Hincelwood made it 3-0 in the 30th minute and sealed Brighton’s big win with another goal just one minute later.
For João Gomes, who was signed from Aston Villa in the summer of 2026, his first Premier League match will go down in history for the wrong reason. His red card in the 40th minute has already placed him among the fastest “red card” debuts in recent decades in England’s top league.
*photo source: AP
