By noon, the post-match calm had morphed into a full-blown debate across sports networks, radio stations, and football podcasts.
For a moment, Arsenal's dominant 3-0 win at Villa Park had taken a back seat to a single decision—that second yellow card.
The moment the referee reached for his pocket, the air had shifted. Even a day later, it lingered.
Clips of Izan's goal celebration were dissected from every possible angle.
The way he flopped to the ground, arms out like he'd been wiped out by an invisible defender, played on loop across highlight reels.
Some pundits found it amusing. Others found it outrageous that such an innocuous gesture had resulted in a red card.
"Referees have lost the plot," fumed Tom McArthur on the Premier League Pulse podcast.
"We've got players kicking each other off the ball and walking away with a warning, but this kid gets sent off for a theatrical celebration? Spare me. Football's meant to have emotion."
