Jermaine Pennant has issued an apology to Arsene Wenger for being hungover on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, a match in which he surprisingly scored a hat-trick.
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The incident occurred in May 2003 during a 6-1 victory against Southampton, where Pennant played despite heavily drinking and partying the night before.
The 41-year-old admitted he attended a late-night FHM party, believing he wouldn’t start the match. Despite his teammates’ warnings, Pennant indulged in tequila and sambuca shots, returning home at 6:30 a.m. after only three hours of sleep.
To his shock, Wenger included him in the starting XI, prompting Pennant to initially consider ways to get substituted. Instead, he went on to score three goals, cementing his performance as memorable yet unprofessional.
Pennant signed with Arsenal from Notts County in 1999 but made only 26 appearances during his six-year stint before moving to Birmingham City. Reflecting on his actions, he humorously yet sincerely apologized to Wenger, acknowledging his youthful recklessness at the time.
