Video goes viral showing Declan Rice not being booked for the exact same offence

Three years ago, Declan Rice committed an action at the end of a match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, in front of referee Michael Oliver, without receiving a booking. Fast forward to the present, Rice, now wearing an Arsenal jersey, performed the same action and was sent off. This inconsistency in refereeing decisions has left many puzzled, as highlighted by a viral video shared by Greek journalist Dimitris Manakos through England365.

Recently, Arsenal drew 1-1 with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium during Matchday 3 of the Premier League. The match was marked by controversy surrounding referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision to send off Declan Rice for allegedly delaying the game by pushing the ball away during a quick restart attempt by Brighton’s Veltman in the 49th minute. This decision left Arsenal with ten players and sparked frustration among the team and fans, who criticized the inconsistency in refereeing decisions. Mikel Arteta and Bukayo Saka expressed their disappointment, noting the tendency of English referees to make inconsistent calls from one match to another.

The controversy intensified when a video surfaced showing Rice committing a similar act against Arsenal three years ago, where Granit Xhaka attempted a quick restart, and Rice, along with Paquet, kicked the ball away without any punishment from referee Michael Oliver. This inconsistency in handling similar situations has been a point of contention for Arsenal, highlighting the perceived lack of uniformity in refereeing decisions.