Omar Rekik’s loan to Wigan Athletic faced another setback on Saturday, as he was sent off for a couple of late challenges against Burnley.

After a difficult season so far, Omar Rekik’s loan spell to Wigan Athletic seemed to be looking up lately.

The Arsenal defender had struggled to get any minutes in the Sparta Rotterdam team in the first half of the season, leading to a January recall and re-loan to Wigan. Then an injury setback forced him out for a few weeks in February.

Rekik recently returned to action and played 90 minutes for the first time this season on Tuesday, and he earned another start against high-flying Burnley on Saturday. But it didn’t last long.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Rekik raced across to deal with a run by Nathan Tella. He arrived late and missed the ball, conceding a foul and earning a yellow card.

Just 20 minutes later, almost exactly the same scenario arose again. Once again, Tella chased a through ball, Rekik came across to try and stop him, missed the ball, and caught the man.

The referee was left with no choice but to issue a second yellow card, reducing Wigan to 10 men.

Already 1-0 down to the league leaders at that stage, it wasn’t particularly surprising that Wigan went on to lose 3-0. To compound Rekik’s misery, it was Tella who scored two of the three goals.

The Arsenal loanee now faces a one-match suspension against Coventry City, before he can return against Watford later this month.

These things happen to young players in their first year of loans, and that’s why you go on loan.

You learn from your setbacks away from the pressure of the Premier League and return with that experience under your belt.