Arsenal lost points because of a controversial red card in the Premier League
Midfielder Declan Rice’s red card at the beginning of the second half caused Arsenal to be held to a 1-1 draw against Brighton in round 3 of the Premier League. At Emirates Stadium, Arsenal started strongly and took the lead at the end of the first half thanks to Kai Havertz’s goal. The German striker broke through to catch Bukayo Saka’s pass and fired the ball past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Brighton entered the match as one of three teams with a perfect record after two rounds in the 2024-2025 Premier League season, alongside Arsenal and Manchester City. However, Fabian Hurzeler’s side face a difficult task when trying to break down the Premier League’s strongest defense from last season, a task made easier by a crucial moment at the start. second half.
After fouling Joel Veltman, Declan Rice reacted to referee Chris Kavanagh. At that moment, Veltman pushed the ball to Rice’s right for a quick free kick. Rice kicked the ball away and took a blow from Veltman to his shin. Clutching his leg in apparent pain, Rice was shockingly shown a yellow card for obstructing Veltman’s free kick, his second of the match. Early in the first half, he was warned for another foul on Veltman. Understandably, Arsenal are unhappy with Kavanagh’s decision. The referee faced jeers from the crowd, and the home players surrounded him in protest, but his decision was upheld. Rice walked off the field dejectedly, not acknowledging coach Mikel Arteta, who also appeared disappointed by the red card.
While the incident is controversial, it is worth noting that Arsenal have received 16 red cards since Mikel Arteta took charge in December 2019, at least three more than any other team in the Premier League. The Gunners’ frustration with referee Kavanagh was obvious, and the Emirates Stadium echoed with boos. Despite their protests, Arsenal had to accept playing with 10 people. Rice quietly left the field, walked along the touchline and into the tunnel without greeting Arteta, who reacted furiously to his player’s sending off.
As for Brighton, coach Fabian Hurzeler clearly wants to take advantage of their numerical advantage. He used all five substitutions to refresh the attack and constantly urged his teammates forward. However, Arsenal’s defense remained disciplined and determined, winning a point despite being down. After a few close-range counterattacks, Brighton became more cautious and avoided pushing the ball too high.
It is the first time Arsenal have failed to win a Premier League match after leading at half-time since a 2-2 draw at West Ham in April 2023. Since that match, the Gunners have won 22 matches consecutively while leading at halftime.
Although the season has just begun, this stumble at home has caused Arsenal to fall behind in the race with number one rival Man City – the team that will march to West Ham Stadium this round. In round 4, the “Gunners” will be a guest at North London rival Tottenham on the evening of September 15.
