Arsenal's 100% record comes to an end
Arsenal were left frustrated as they threw away a 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 at home to Brighton in a game that hinged on a controversial red card for Declan Rice just five minutes into the second half.
Declan-Rice-red-card
The midfielder was handed a second yellow card for delaying the restart in bizarre fashion, which allowed Fabian Hurzeler's side to get back into the game minutes later and left the Gunners holding on for a point in the dying stages.
After the game, Mikel Arteta was left fuming at the referees once more: "I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.
"In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan (on the back of his leg), he turns around, he doesn't see the player coming and he touches the ball.
"By law, he [the referee] can make that call, but then by law he needs to make the next call, which is red card so we play 10 vs 10. This is what amazed me. At this level it's amazing."
However, Rice was far more apologetic, admitting that "it was tough, it was harsh, but it's one of those things", and adding that "If you touch ball away, even a little bit, obviously it’s a red card".
Arsenal vs Brighton: A game of two halves
Stats via Fotmob
1st Half
2nd Half
Arsenal
Brighton
Arsenal
Brighton
Possession
47%
53%
24%
76%
Shots
6
3
5
19
Shots on target
5
0
2
4
Big chances
3
0
2
3
xG
0.98
0.08
1.09
1.74
Nonetheless, the decision dominated the immediate aftermath of the game, which resulted in both Arsenal and Brighton losing their early season 100% records and both sides falling two points behind early pace setters Manchester City and Liverpool.
Arsenal suffer injury scare
Though the decision to send off the Arsenal midfielder was the undoubted talking point at the Emirates Stadium, there was another worrying moment late on in the piece as defender Jurrien Timber went down injured.
The Dutch full back
missed the entirety of last season after tearing his ACL on his Premier League debut, and there was clearly concern around that area once more as the medical staff assessed him on the pitch, before he was substituted for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
However, it appears that those fears were overstated, with Arteta giving a positive injury update on Timber in the immediate aftermath of the game and The Standard reporting a likely return against Spurs.
“No, he was I think cramping,” Arteta told the media when asked about a possible injury to Timber. “He got a kick in the first half and was cramping so we had to take him off.”
That news will come as music to the ears of the Arsenal faithful, who will already be forced to watch their side without Rice in their north London derby clash with Tottenham after the international break. Indeed, there are high hopes for Timber, who Zinchenko revealed may even be better than him last season.
"Maybe he is [similar to me], but maybe better than me.I’m sure he is 100 per cent going to show us what he can do, and will really help us. He’s a great guy, another incredible signing for Arsenal who will help us a lot."
With Riccardo Calafiori also signed over the summer, the Gunners have plenty of cover at left-back, but they will nonetheless be happy to keep it that way this early in the season.
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