Chelsea Reach Unwanted Century of Premier League Red Cards as Palmer Is Sent Off for the First Time in Spurs Defeat

Chelsea lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in a heated London derby in the English Premier League. Alongside the defeat at their home ground, Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's young star Cole Palmer endured an embarrassing experience.

The 24-year-old England forward had to leave the field after being shown a red card for the first time in his six-year professional senior career. More significantly, the dismissal took Chelsea to an unwanted 'century' of red cards, making them the third team in Premier League history to reach the mark.

The dramatic episode began in the 70th minute. Tottenham's Mateus Fernandez fell to the ground while trying to tackle Palmer, and the ball touched his hand while he was lying face down.

But as Fernandez tried to sit up, Palmer lost his temper and shoved him. Referee Chris Kavanagh showed the England star a yellow card—the first of the incident—for the misconduct.

Just ten minutes later, right after Tottenham took the lead through a Mike Penders own goal, Palmer committed another foul. In a late challenge trying to win the ball, his foot caught opponent Conor Gallagher.

The referee then showed him a second yellow card and, as a result, a red card, sending him off. Chelsea had to play the remaining time with ten men, and the result did not change—Tottenham won 2-0.

Excluding red cards that were later rescinded, Palmer's dismissal took the total number of red cards shown to Chelsea players in Premier League history to 100.

Only Everton (113) and another London club, Arsenal (110), have received more red cards in the competition. The Blues thus became the third team to put their name to this unwanted milestone.

In the 2025-26 season, too, the team's players and support staff were ordered off the field a total of 11 times, which has again brought the club's internal disciplinary weakness to the fore.

As the punishment for this red card applies under English domestic football rules, Cole Palmer will be suspended for Wednesday's high-voltage League Cup (Carabao Cup) match against Liverpool. However, unless the Football Association (FA) extends his automatic one-match ban, Chelsea's key star will be able to return for next week's Premier League home clash against Manchester United.