Pennant scored hat trick for Arsenal 'feeling the vodka in his stomach'

Jermaine Pennant is not having the best of times. The former Arsenal player filed for bankruptcy after accumulating debts of more than 1 million euros.

Despite going through a difficult time, Pennant spoke to 'Paramount+' about his time as a player. He will never forget the day he made his first start against Southampton in 2002-03.

"I had gone out the night before because I didn't really think I would play. I had never started for Arsenal before and I didn't think that would change, especially as Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Ray Parlor were all in the squad. I was guaranteed to be on the bench. I got home around 6.00, after drinking a lot of vodka - I couldn't believe it when I saw my name in the starting line-up!" he said.

Pennant explained how he felt when he saw he was in the starting eleven: "I had slept for three hours and I stank of alcohol. Wenger said my name and my heart sank into my stomach. Vieria said to me: 'It's your moment' and I thought: 'It's the worst moment, not today!

He finally played and, despite the hangover, surprised everyone with three goals. "I still had a hangover when I played. I did my best not to embarrass myself. Scoring was a relief. I felt sick, I could still feel the vodka in my stomach. You could smell it on my breath," he continued.

Playing in those conditions and scoring a hat-trick, Pennant believes, is a sign that football was his thing. "By scoring a hat trick I showed I had talent, although it helps when you're playing with Henry and Vieira," he said.