It’s only August, but there was an edge in the air at the Emirates long before Rice’s controversial red card in this 1-1 draw against Brighton, with additional heat to the post-match fury as Mikel Arteta reflected on a thunderous afternoon that was far more “emotional” than usual for this early stage of the season.
After losing out on the Premier League trophy by two points last season, Arsenal know how perfect you have to be to beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to the title. And this was an opportunity missed, with crucial points dropped already, as Arsenal squandered their winning position so needlessly. Rice’s sending-off – his first in the Premier League in 245 appearances – changed the game after Kai Havertz’s fine lob handed Arsenal a deserved lead before half time.
Given what’s at stake, there could be no excuse for Rice’s moment of madness following the restart. A tussle with Joel Veltman near the Brighton corner flag led to Rice standing over the free-kick. With the England international’s back turned towards Veltman, Rice nudged the ball away from its spot as the Brighton defender prepared to take the free-kick quickly, clattering into the Arsenal midfielder’s legs in the process. Rice was knocked to the ground and was then stunned as he found the referee, Chris Kavanagh, holding a second yellow card as he returned to his feet.
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