Fabian Hurzeler claims Brighton were disappointed not to be leaving Arsenal with all three points.
The Seagulls pressed hard for a winner following Joao Pedro’s equaliser but Albion also had to ride their luck to avoid defeat in North London. Hurzeler said: “In the end it feels a little bit like disappointment, of course, we wanted to win the game but I think we should be satisfied with the point because it’s a fair draw.
“We dominated the game from the moment of the red card. We also created chances but we could have conceded a second goal to Arsenal near the end.”
Hurzeler was also adamant Declan Rice should have been sent off prior to his eventual dismissal following a huge lunging slide tackle on Joel Veltman. He explained after being shown a yellow card for his remonstrations: “I was booked because I was complaining about the tackle against Joel.
“For me, of course we can mistake that in the Premier League that it’s a yellow card but I think nobody can complain if it’s a red. Not because of the foul but it’s more like the way he’s going into the duel.”
The result was somewhat soured by James Milner’s hamstring injury, sustained in the opening 45 minutes. Veteran Milner has started the season in inspired form but now looks set for a spell on the sidelines.
New signing Ferdi Kadioglu, a recent £25m arrival from Fenerbahce, is also out of action with a muscle problem and will therefore have to wait to make his Albion debut. Hurzeler clarified: “It’s minor issues I think but we’ll wait for scans. Ferdi also has a small issue but it’s nothing big and we will use the international break to get him fit.”
Mikel Arteta was left gob-smacked after the lunchtime red card row which erupted following 10-man Arsenal’s dramatic 1-1 draw with Brighton. Rice was shown a second booking by referee Chris Kavanagh for supposedly blocking Joel Veltman’s quick free-kick.
Arteta could not believe the controversial call which later saw Arsenal surrender their 1-0 lead courtesy of Kai Havertz’s opener: “We came back after half-time really strong, and the referee made a decision that changed the course of the game.
“We probably still should have won the game but I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.
“In the first-half there were two incidents where nothing happened, then in another critical area, the ball hits Declan’s heel, he turns around, doesn’t see the player and touches the ball. By law he can make that call but at this level, it’s honestly amazing.”
Arteta’s fury stemmed from Kavanagh failing to book Brighton goalscorer Joao Pedro for the same offence in the first half. Seagulls boss Hurzeler was adamant the two incidents were not comparable.
He said on Rice’s dismissal: “For me it’s a clear red card. He shoots the ball away, it’s wasting time so there are now two opinions.”
The 31-year-old later added: “You can’t compare these two situations. The first with Joao is a clear, like a free-kick, static situation and the second one was a dynamic situation. Joao tried to keep the ball in the game, please, don’t compare because in football, two situations are never the same in football.”
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka called for consistency, stating: Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it. Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off.”
Be the first to comment