The Premier League has confirmed that Declan Rice was sent off during Arsenal’s match against Brighton for ‘delaying a restart,’ even though Rice had been kicked. As a result, Rice will miss Arsenal’s upcoming game against Tottenham in two weeks.
The red card was controversial. After receiving two yellow cards, Rice was particularly upset by the second one, which came after an altercation with Brighton’s Joel Veltman.
The incident began when Rice lightly touched the ball while preparing for a free-kick, and Veltman kicked him. Rice believed Veltman’s action was retaliatory, given their recent tussle that left Veltman on the ground.
However, the referee had a different interpretation. The official believed that Veltman was simply trying to restart the game after winning a free-kick, and Rice’s slight touch of the ball led to Veltman kicking him. As a result, Rice was penalized for delaying the restart.
This ruling aligns with new Premier League regulations for the 2024/25 season, which state that any deliberate attempt to delay play, by players or technical staff, will result in a yellow card. Despite objections from Rice and his Arsenal teammates, the decision was upheld by VAR, leading to Rice’s dismissal.
The Premier League’s official website explains: “Any deliberate attempt to delay the restart of play by technical area staff or players will result in a yellow card. Staff who delay play by holding or kicking the ball away will be sent off.”
The decision to send off Rice left both commentators and fans bewildered. TNT Sports commentators Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist voiced their confusion, with McCoist remarking, “I don’t understand what Declan Rice was supposed to do. It looked like a kick-out at him! Joel Veltman is fortunate to remain on the pitch after that.”
Arsenal’s frustration was compounded when Joao Pedro scored his second goal of the season just nine minutes after Rice’s dismissal, equalizing the score following Kai Havertz’s first-half goal.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, keeping both teams unbeaten as the season continues.
