Arsenal dropped their first points of the season when they recorded a 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Emirates on Saturday.
Declan Rice was sent off at the start of the second half for a second bookable offence, and ten minutes later, Brighton equalised through Joao Pedro.
That sending-off also means Rice will miss Arsenal’s trip to Tottenham after the international break.
You are only three games in, but Ian Wright is already fuming at a refereeing call because he thinks Arsenal fans have ‘got the hump’ following that second yellow card.
A free kick was awarded near the corner flag in Brighton’s half to the away team, with Joel Veltman attempting to take a quick free-kick, but Rice stood in the way, slowly knocked the ball out of play, he ended up getting booted to the ground himself, but when he got up, he was given his marching orders.
Chris Kavanagh was the on-field referee and his decision-making infuriated the Arsenal fans.
Wright certainly didn’t hold back because he claimed Kavanagh has ‘main character’ energy, as he took a brutal swipe at the official.
One of the biggest issues behind all of this was the fact that Brighton goalscorer Pedro, in the first half, booted the ball away when it went out of play and it was Arsenal’s throw.
Yet, he wasn’t booked, even though manager Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal players held their hands up asking why.
So, when Rice was treated differently in the second half, it left many Arsenal fans angry, including Wright, as he told Premier League Productions (31/08/24 at 2:40 pm).
Declan Rice’s red card
“You have to take the point,” said Wright. “I do think Declan (Rice) will look at the two yellows and be a little disappointed. But, at the same time, when you look at the refereeing and some of the decisions he (Chris Kavanagh) made. I think this referee had main-character energy anyway.
“But, at the same time, when people (Joao Pedro) are kicking the ball away in the first half and you aren’t booking them, then you kind of do feel a little aggrieved by that. This is why I think people were so upset. That challenge, yes, (Rice’s first yellow card). It’s one of those challenges where he has made a genuine attempt to get the ball, but you get booked for that.
“But then here (second yellow). You look at Veltman and what he is doing there. Veltman is trying to get him booked. Veltman has nobody to pass the ball to. He knows exactly what he is doing. Those are the things VAR can look at. He knows what he is doing. He is trying to get him sent off. Declan Rice doesn’t have to kick the ball, but at the same time, Declan is playing the game, but so is Veltman. You can recognise what Declan is doing, but you aren’t supposed to recognise what Veltman is doing?! He’s not actually looking to pass that to anyone. He’s acting like he is going to do it, so if it hits Declan, then he gets booked and he is off. And that’s what happened – if we are going to be doing stuff like that with people kicking the ball away, then do that in the first half with Joao Pedro. The ball went out of play and he still blasted the ball away. Do that as well. I don’t care about an apologetic face (from the referee when he had to send Rice off) and that. Do it properly all the way. That’s why Arsenal fans have got the hump.”
Declan Rice of Arsenal reacts after being fouled during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Emirates S...
Arsenal’s trip to Tottenham
Arsenal had three tough away games awaiting them at the start of the campaign – Leandro Trossard helped Arsenal win at Aston Villa last week, which was a huge statement of intent.
And the next way trip was the north London derby followed up by a trip to the Etihad, with Champions League and League Cup games crammed in between.
But Arteta will be without his club-record signing for the short trip to Spurs, with Arsenal’s new signing Mikel Merino injuring himself in the first training session.
Thomas Partey will now be the main defensive brain in midfield, with the experienced Jorginho coming in and Martin Odegaard ahead of him.
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