Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was left stunned after being sent off in a Premier League match against Brighton, which means he will now serve a suspension.
In a heated encounter, Rice was shown a second yellow card after an incident with Brighton’s Joel Veltman. The situation unfolded when Rice kicked the ball away as Veltman was preparing to take a free kick deep in Brighton’s half. Veltman, attempting to take the set-piece quickly, followed through with a kick on Rice.
Having already received a booking in the first half, Rice fell to the ground as players from both teams surrounded him. Both Rice and Veltman appeared equally frustrated by the altercation.
The confusion intensified when referee Chris Kavanagh quickly showed Rice a yellow card, followed by a red. Many initially believed the red card was intended for Veltman. However, Brighton’s Danny Welbeck, aware of what was happening, told his teammate, “Hey, it’s his second yellow.”
Arsenal’s £105 million signing looked shocked as he left the field, protesting briefly with the official and glancing in disbelief at Welbeck. This red card marks the first of Rice’s career.
Rice’s upcoming absence for the North London derby against Tottenham is a significant blow for Arsenal. This suspension comes on the heels of Mikel Arteta confirming that new signing Mikel Merino sustained an injury, possibly a fracture, further complicating Arsenal’s midfield options.
Reflecting on Merino’s injury, Arteta stated, “It’s very unfortunate. Yesterday, he had a collision and injured his shoulder. He’s going to be out for a few weeks. It’s really bad luck. He was looking very good, but it looks like he’s got a small fracture. He was in so much pain, so we have to wait for more tests to get conclusive answers.”
During the match, Arsenal initially took the lead through Kai Havertz, while new signing Raheem Sterling watched from the stands. However, Brighton’s Joao Pedro equalized just before the hour mark, following Rice’s dismissal.
