The Premier League has always thrived on chaos—last-minute winners, touchline bust-ups, and refereeing drama that can flip a match in seconds. But few moments are as shocking, or as uniquely memorable, as when a player is sent off almost immediately after stepping onto the pitch. These blink-and-you-miss-them dismissals live on in football folklore, often overshadowing the matches themselves.

From misjudged tackles to cases of mistaken identity, here’s a look at the quickest red cards in Premier League history, ranked from merely rapid to record-breaking.

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10. Kevin Mirallas – 2 minutes 16 seconds (Everton vs Swansea, 2013)

A player beloved by many Everton fans for his flair and goals, Kevin Mirallas produced one of the less glamorous moments of his Goodison career in 2013. Subbed on in stoppage time, he managed just 136 seconds of action before a reckless tackle on Swansea’s Modou Barrow earned him a straight red. What was meant to be a simple time-wasting substitution turned into an instant headache for David Moyes.

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9. Juan Foyth – 2 minutes 13 seconds (Spurs vs Bournemouth, 2019)

Trying to add stability to a Tottenham team already reduced to 10 men, Mauricio Pochettino sent on young defender Juan Foyth at half-time. What followed was disastrous. A wild challenge just 133 seconds later saw him sent off, leaving Spurs down to nine. The substitution meant to restore control instead created mayhem—an unforgettable moment in Foyth’s turbulent Spurs career.

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8. David Meyler – 1 minute 55 seconds (Sunderland vs Portsmouth, 2009)

David Meyler’s introduction to this fiery clash at Fratton Park was short-lived and explosive. Barely two minutes after appearing, he planted an elbow into Steve Finnan and was promptly dismissed. It was the third red card of the match. Meyler’s future Premier League notoriety would also include being head-butted by Alan Pardew on the touchline, but this moment remains his fastest moment of infamy.

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7. Tim Flowers – 1 minute 35 seconds (Blackburn vs Leeds, 1995)

Blackburn’s title-winning season produced many heroic moments—Tim Flowers’ early red card wasn’t one of them. With just over a minute played, he hauled down Leeds striker Brian Deane as the last man. Sent off after 95 seconds, he left Rovers scrambling. To their credit, Blackburn rescued a point and eventually won the Premier League title, but Flowers’ red remains one of the quickest for a goalkeeper.

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6. Gareth McAuley (mistaken identity) – 1 minute 29 seconds (West Brom vs Man City)

In one of the Premier League’s most famous refereeing blunders, Gareth McAuley was shown red just 89 seconds in—but he hadn’t committed the foul. Craig Dawson had brought down Wilfried Bony, but referee Neil Swarbrick dismissed the wrong West Brom defender. Despite protests, the decision stood, and City coasted to a 3–0 win. Few early red cards are as controversial as this one.

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5. Andreas Johansson – 1 minute 28 seconds (Wigan vs Arsenal, 2006)

Johansson’s dismissal may be the unluckiest of the list. Coming on at Highbury in what was Arsenal’s final match at the iconic ground, he lasted 88 seconds without even touching the ball. A tug on compatriot Freddie Ljungberg in the box earned him a red card and gave Thierry Henry the chance to score from the spot—which he did, on the way to a farewell hat-trick.

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4. Alexandre Jankewitz – 1 minute 10 seconds (Southampton vs Man United, 2021)

Making just his second senior appearance, young midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz endured a nightmare at Old Trafford. A reckless, high lunge on Scott McTominay after 70 seconds saw him sent off. It set the stage for one of Southampton’s darkest nights, as they went on to lose 9–0—for the second time in two seasons.

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3. Dave Kitson – 47 seconds (Reading vs Man United, 2007)

On the opening day of the 2007/08 season, Dave Kitson came on for Reading and was off almost immediately after a rash challenge on Patrice Evra. The tackle—coming just 47 seconds into his cameo—was part of a gritty performance that still earned the Royals a surprise draw. But the red became symbolic of the “second-season syndrome” that later dragged them to relegation.

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2. Steven Gerrard – 38 seconds (Liverpool vs Man United, 2015)

One of the most shocking moments in Premier League history came from one of its greatest icons. Steven Gerrard, brought on at half-time to inspire Liverpool against their biggest rivals, unleashed a reckless stamp on Ander Herrera a mere 38 seconds after stepping onto the pitch. In Gerrard’s final match against Manchester United, the moment was heartbreaking—an emotional, unforgettable lapse from a club legend.

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1. Keith Gillespie – 0 seconds (Sheffield United vs Reading, 2007)

The all-time record belongs to Keith Gillespie—and it may never be broken. Subbed on while the ball was out of play for a throw-in, the Northern Irish winger immediately lashed out at Reading’s Stephen Hunt. Because the ball had not yet re-entered play, Gillespie was officially sent off after 0 seconds. It remains the most astonishing, instantaneous dismissal the Premier League has ever seen.

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Conclusion

Red cards often change games—but these ones barely had time to register before chaos ensued. Whether through reckless tackles, heat-of-the-moment reactions, or outright refereeing mistakes, the quickest red cards in Premier League history are reminders of just how unpredictable football can be. In a league defined by fine margins, sometimes the biggest stories happen in the smallest moments.