Declan Rice’s clumsy pink card value Arsenal two factors on the high of the desk as Brighton got here from behind to attract 1-1 on the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal managed the primary half and after Martin Odegaard missed a golden likelihood to present the Gunners the lead, Bukayo Saka’s good play arrange Kai Havertz to chip Bart Verbruggen for the opener.
The Gunners took that lead into the break, regardless of Brighton having extra of the first-half possession, however their job grew to become tougher when Rice – already on a reserving – stopped a fast free-kick in entrance of the swinging Joel Veltman and was given his marching orders by Chris Kavanagh.
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta criticised the dearth of consistency within the choice and believes Veltman ought to have additionally seen pink in the identical incident.
“If it occurs all through the sport in a constant method, that’s nice. But it surely didn’t occur,” mentioned Arteta. “Within the first half, there are a selection of events the place they kick the ball away and nothing occurred. So it’s the inconsistency.
“Particularly as a result of it’s in an space the place it’s not crucial and on high of that, for those who make that decision, you need to give a pink card [to Veltman] as properly. If now we have to play with 10 then they must play with 10 as a result of it’s a pink card for Veltman.”
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Mike Dean reacts to Declan Rice’s controversial sending off in Arsenal’s conflict with Brighton
It was Rice’s first profession pink card and places him out of the north London derby at Tottenham on September 15, stay on Sky Sports activities. Arsenal have already got summer time midfield signing Mikel Merino out with a fractured shoulder, having let Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe additionally go away within the window.
However Arsenal’s considerations grew to become extra fast when Yankuba Minteh burst by on objective, and whereas David Raya saved his preliminary effort, Joao Pedro tucked residence the rebound.
Brighton’s Joao Pedro celebrates after scoring his facet’s equaliser
Brighton had Arsenal penned into their very own penalty space for a lot of the second half however then a shocking end-to-end encounter ensued.
First, Havertz noticed a one-on-one likelihood on the counter saved by Verbruggen and Saka’s rebound was blocked. Brighton practically scored on the different finish as Raya saved from substitute Yasin Ayari when the objective was gaping.
Havertz then laid the ball on for Saka on the different finish in one other counter-attack however his effort was held by the Brighton goalkeeper as soon as once more.
Brighton had been shocked by these flurry of Arsenal probabilities and had been just a little extra tense regardless of the additional man. Georginio Rutter and Carlos Baleba each blazed over as they didn’t make the benefit depend.
Nonetheless, it meant two dropped factors at residence for Arsenal early within the season. The Gunners drew in opposition to Fulham at an analogous stage final August and misplaced the league by two factors. How essential might this draw be?
The large second: Rice’s pink card in photos
Arsenal’s Declan Rice obstructed Brighton’s Joel Veltman at fast free-kick
Rice is shipped off by referee Christopher Kavanagh after receiving a second yellow card
Rice protests his innocence with the referee
Arsenal’s Declan Rice leaves the pitch in dejection
How Rice’s pink card precipitated a momentum shift
Evaluation: Arteta dealing with midfield disaster forward of Spurs conflict
Sky Sports activities’ Sam Blitz on the Emirates Stadium:
In letting seven gamers from final season’s contingent go and bringing simply 4 in, Arsenal’s squad depth was below strain after Friday’s switch deadline. Mikel Arteta’s squad is sweet, nevertheless it’s prone to vulnerability within the occasion of a disaster.
Cue disaster.
Within the area of 48 hours, Arsenal have misplaced new signing Mikel Merino for weeks as a consequence of a shoulder fracture in his first coaching session with the membership – and now Declan Rice to a suspension, having let Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira go away. Their subsequent sport? A north London derby at Tottenham.
Arteta must be reliant on Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard as two of his three midfielders. Jorginho and Leandro Trossard are subsequent in line among the many midfielders and whereas transferring striker Kai Havertz again to an attacking midfield position can be choice, fellow ahead Gabriel Jesus is at the moment out injured because the back-up to the German.
In any case, Havertz’s early season kind reveals he’s finest as a central striker, so would Arteta danger weakening one other space of the pitch simply to plug a gap?
Ought to Mikel Arteta change Kai Havertz’s place to plug a gap in Arsenal’s midfield?
There’s the untested choice of attempting Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber or Ben White – who all have expertise as central midfielders – in that position too. However it’s removed from supreme.
Actually, the entire scenario is way from supreme. Arsenal have already dropped two factors and it is a probably weakened facet at Tottenham subsequent. Then Manchester Metropolis.