Southampton defender Jack Stephens was sent off in bizarre circumstances during Wednesday's match against Chelsea for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair.

The 30-year-old, who serves as the Saints' captain, endured a nightmare evening, culminating in his dismissal just before half-time. The incident occurred in the 39th minute, with Southampton already trailing 3-1 after two costly mistakes from goalkeeper Joe Lumley.

The Incident

As Southampton prepared to take a corner, Stephens, away from the referee's immediate view, tugged at Cucurella's hair, causing the Chelsea defender to fall to the ground. VAR intervened, recommending referee Tony Harrington review the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Following a brief review, Harrington issued a straight red card to Stephens for violent conduct, leaving Russell Martin's side in further disarray.

The Premier League’s official match centre later clarified the decision on X (formerly Twitter):

“38’ VAR OVERTURN. The VAR recommended an on-field review for possible violent conduct by Jack Stephens. The referee then issued a red card.”

Disciplinary Woes

This marks Stephens’ second dismissal of the season. He was previously sent off in September against Manchester United for a high challenge on Alejandro Garnacho, which earned him a three-match ban. On that occasion, Stephens also received an additional two-match suspension and a £50,000 fine for using abusive language towards referee Stuart Attwell and fourth official Gavin Ward.

Southampton’s disciplinary issues have been a recurring theme under Russell Martin. The team has already amassed 45 yellow cards and three red cards this season, a statistic that has undoubtedly contributed to their struggles on the pitch.

A Night to Forget

By the half-time whistle, Southampton trailed 3-1, sitting seven points adrift of safety at the start of the evening. The red card added to the mounting challenges faced by Martin’s side as they continue their fight to climb out of the relegation zone.

For Stephens and Southampton, it was yet another night to forget in an increasingly difficult campaign.