Declan Rice was dismissed from Arsenal’s Premier League match against Brighton after kicking the ball away as Joel Veltman was about to take a free kick for the visitors.
Kai Havertz’s opening goal had sent the Gunners into the lead and the score was 1-0 when Rice was shown the red card early in the second half.
Rice had previously arrived late with a tackle on Veltman in the first half which saw him clip the defender’s leg and earn a first yellow of the match.
Just before the incident, Veltman had been awarded a free kick deep in his own half and looked to take the set piece quickly. Rice nudged the ball away just as the Brighton man took the kick and he followed through to hitting Rice on the leg.
The game was stopped and the referee decided that kicking the ball away was the initial offence and Rice was at fault.
On TNT Sports, commentator Ally McCoist attempted to make sense of the decision and claimed that Veltman was lucky not to receive the booking instead.
“No complaints at all [on the first yellow card for Rice]. I think Veltman’s lucky, I really do. I don’t know what Declan Rice is meant to do.
“It looked like it was a kick-out at him. I think Joel Veltman is lucky to stay on the pitch with his kick out. By the letter of the law he’s kicked the ball away, it doesn’t matter if he kicks the ball away 20-yards or six inches.”
Following Rice’s dismissal, Brighton equalised in the 58th minute through Joao Pedro as Arsenal played on with 10-men. This match was Rice’s 245th Premier League appearance, and the first time he has been sent off in the competition.
