PHP ARRAY_PUSH strips html tag - php

Question

I have a string which i am trying to split and then add a span tag on every 2 words.
When I split the string and try to use array_push to create a new array, my html tags disappears.
Here is my function:
public function splitString(){
$string = Sample sentence;
$newHeader = array();
$parts = preg_split('/\s+/', $string);
$num = 1;
foreach($parts as $str){
if($num % 2 == 0){
array_push($newHeader, "<span>".$str."</span>");
}else{
array_push($newHeader, $str);
}
$num++;
}
return $newHeader;
}
When I call that function the result i get is
Array ( [0] => Sample [1] => sentence )
I am looking for:
Array ( [0] => Sample [1] => <span>sentence</span> )
What I am doing wrong? Please help
Thank you in advance

Answer 1

First, if you haven't corrected, just like #Fred said in the comments, you should quote your strings in that function:
$string = 'Sample sentence';
Second, it works. array_push() does not strip your tags. You are just presented with a print_r() on the browser but its there along with the word.
Array ( [0] => Sample [1] => sentence )
If look at it in the view source. This is what it looks like:
print_r(splitString());
Array
(
[0] => Sample
[1] => <span>sentence</span>
)
You just don't see it visually on the browser but the tags are there.
If you try to add this up:
array_push($newHeader, "<span style='color: red;'>".$str."</span>");
You'll see the style. Try it :)