How long before half-time was João Gomes sent off in Aston Villa’s match against Brighton on the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend?
Answer
Five minutes before half-time
João Gomes was sent off five minutes before half-time in Aston Villa’s match against Brighton on the 2026–27 Premier League opening weekend.
The dismissal came during Brighton’s 4–0 home victory on Sunday, 23 August 2026. Gomes, a summer signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers, was making his Premier League debut for Villa when he received his red card.
His dismissal made him the first player sent off in the first half of his Premier League debut since Samba Diakité of Queens Park Rangers in 2012. That earlier dismissal came in a match against Fulham.
Playing with ten men made Villa’s difficult afternoon even harder, although Brighton had already scored four times by the 31st minute. The match became one of the clearest statements of the opening round.