Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he was ‘amazed’ by Chris Kavanagh’s decision to send off Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have dropped their first points of the season after Joao Pedro scored a second half equaliser following Declan Rice’s sending off.
In the first half, Pedro — who went on to score Brighton’s equaliser — kicked the ball away, but referee Christopher Kavanagh chose not to give a yellow card for the Brazilian fo.
Though after four minutes in the second period, Rice received a second yellow for nudging the ball away from Joel Veltman as he tried to take a quick free-kick.
Mikel Arteta ‘amazed’ by Declan Rice sending off
Speaking after the draw against Brighton, Mikel Arteta gave his verdict on the controversial sending off of the former West Ham United midfielder.
“I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be. In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens,” Arteta said.
“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 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.
“Anyway I repeat myself – by law if you want to do it you have to do it, but you have to do it in the first half and play 10 against 10. That’s it. Very simple.”
Declan Rice big miss for Arsenal
Arteta was keen to praise Rice for his performance against Wolves on the opening day of the season for the North London club.
Rice will be suspended for Arsenal’s game against Tottenham Hotspur with Ange Postecoglou’s side hoping to win their first North London derby since the 3-0 win during the 2021/22 campaign.
Missing Rice against Tottenham will be a big blow and Arsenal simply have to win against Ange Postecoglou’s side following the resumption of the season after the international break.
Be the first to comment