“Amazing” – Mikel Arteta blasts referee for Declan Rice red card in Arsenal defeat

Mikel Arteta blasted referee Chris Kavanagh and called for ‘consistency’ following Declan Rice’s red card in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday. 

The Gunners looked to be cruising at the Emirates, going in 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Kai Havertz strike, while Brighton had managed just 0.08 xG and zero shots on target in the first half.

However, the game turned just four minutes into the second half when Rice was shown a second yellow card for delaying the restart by kicking the ball away to stop Joel Veltman taking a free-kick.

With a man extra, Brighton grew into the game and quickly equalised, while missing numerous other chances to take all three points.

“Overall when we played against 11 v 11 we deserved to win the game and 11 v 10 we deserved to win the game. We lost two points,” Arteta told BBC Match of the Day after the match.

Arteta demands ‘consistent’ refereeing

Although a booking by the strict letter of the law, it’s important to point out the ball was still moving at the point Veltman tried to kick it, while many Arsenal fans pointed out that Joao Pedro avoided a booking for an even more obvious offence of the same nature in the first half.

Salt was rubbed into the wound when it was Joao Pedro who scored the Brighton equaliser less than 10 minutes after the red card.

When pressed for his thoughts on Rice’s sending off, Arsenal boss Arteta didn’t hold back.

“I was amazed,” he said. “In the first half when the opponents did that they didn’t get any booking. He makes the call by law in a non-critical area of the pitch when the ball hit the heel when turning around, to make that decision. By law, he can do it but be consistent. If that is the case they should have a man sent off and then it is 10 v 10.

“Amazing, the team and the reaction of the crowd [after going a man down]. We created two big chances one v one and we should have won the game.”