Arsenal were leading 1-0, thanks to Kai Havertz, when Declan Rice received a second yellow card in the 49th minute. Rice had already been booked in the first half for a tough tackle on Joel Veltman.
In the second half, after another incident with Veltman, referee Chris Kavanagh showed Rice his second yellow card. Arsenal fans were furious, calling for Veltman to be penalized for what they believed was a kick at Rice. However, replays showed that Rice had merely nudged the ball away.
The Premier League Match Centre later clarified on social media that the yellow card was issued for delaying the restart.
BBC football reporter Alex Howell noted that fans were initially surprised by Rice’s red card, expecting Veltman to be punished instead. However, after reviewing the replay, it became apparent that Rice did indeed touch the ball, making the referee’s decision correct, although the yellow cards for Rice seemed unnecessary.
Within 10 minutes of Rice’s dismissal, Brighton equalized through Joao Pedro. The Brazilian forward capitalized on a rebound after Yakuba Minteh’s shot was saved by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. TNT Sports commentator Ally McCoist praised the buildup to the goal, highlighting Lewis Dunk’s pass and criticizing Gabriel for not defending better.
He also remarked that Rice’s red card had shifted the momentum of the game, and it would be interesting to see how Arsenal would respond to the setback.
With a numerical advantage, Brighton pushed for a winner, but Arsenal held on, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw, bringing an end to Arsenal’s perfect start to the season.
Leave a Reply