Declan Rice has maintained that he didn’t deserve to be shown his first-ever red card by referee Chris Kavanagh in the one-all draw between Arsenal and Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2024.
Declan Rice Disappointed At Being Handed A Red Card In Arsenal’s Clash Against Brighton
Following the highly intense game in North London, Rice took to his Instagram account to express his disappointment at being sent off.
Declan Rice wrote: “Disappointed. Didn’t feel it deserved a second yellow card but will learn and be better for it.”
The Englishman, however, added that he is proud of his teammates irrespective of what occurred and appreciated the fans for their support.
The ex-West Ham United man stated: “Proud of the boys regardless & thank you for the amazing support Gunners ❤️”
Why Was Declan Rice Issued A Red Card?
Rice was shown a second yellow card by referee Chris Kavanagh for kicking the ball away as Dutch defender Joel Veltman was preparing to take a free-kick for Brighton.
Declan Rice had initially been handed a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Veltman in the 42nd minute.
The pair were also at the heart of the incident which resulted in the controversial decision by referee Kavanagh.
Rice and Veltman were involved in a mini-tussle near the bye-line in a bid to gain possession of the ball, with the latter falling to the turf and winning a free-kick off the former.
Joel Veltman hurriedly returned to his feet and attempted to hastily take the free-kick, but, as he tried to do so, Declan Rice nudged the ball away as aforementioned.
In the process, Rice appeared to have been caught by Veltman and he fell to the turf in next to no time.
English referee Chris Kavanagh wasn’t buying any of it, as he felt the Arsenal midfielder was basically employing time-wasting tactics.
Fascinatingly, after Declan Rice went down after he was kicked by Joel Veltman, supporters of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium were calling for the defender to be booked.
However, they were left stunned after witnessing the decision taken by Kavanagh.
Arsenal Vs Brighton
Nine minutes after Rice was given his marching orders, Mikel Arteta’s side were breached for the first time this season by the Seagulls, with Joao Pedro scoring the equalizer for Fabian Hürzeler’s side.
The Gunners had gone ahead in the 38th minute through Kai Havertz, but they ultimately lost their 100% start to the season following the stalemate at the Emirates stadium.
Rice Will Miss Which Game For Arsenal?
Meanwhile, Declan Rice’s red card for two bookable offenses comes with an automatic one-game suspension.
This implies he will be absent for the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur after the international break, with Arsenal scheduled to trade tackles with Spurs on September 15, 2024.
Rice’s absence against Spurs will be a huge blow for the Gunners in what will be their first big match of the new campaign.
The draw against Brighton and Hove Albion is already a massive dent for Arsenal in the title race, with rivals Manchester City securing a comfortable victory 3-1 win over West Ham United in their own match-day 3 fixture.
Declan Rice Stats
Declan Rice has made 54 appearances for the Gunners since his move from West Ham United on July 15, 2023, for a fee of €116.6 million.
The 25-year-old has scored 7 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions for Arsenal.
