Gabriel Avoids Red Card After Kicking Martinez's Face

During the Arsenal vs Chelsea match at the Emirates Stadium, an incident occurred where Arsenal defender Gabriel's boot struck Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez in the face. This happened in a penalty area scramble shortly after the match began, with Morgan Rogers having put Chelsea ahead within two minutes.

Referee Chris Kavanagh did not issue a card for the incident, which many spectators expected, as they anticipated at least a yellow card or a red for violent conduct. VAR reviewed the situation and supported Kavanagh's decision, ruling the contact accidental.

The rules state that violent conduct applies when a player uses excessive force against an opponent not contesting the ball, but since Gabriel was actively trying to play the ball, no further action was taken. Arsenal later equalized through Kai Havertz and secured a comeback victory with a goal from Martin Odegaard, maintaining their perfect start to the 2026/27 Premier League season and presenting a challenging debut for Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.