Arsenal’s 100 per cent start to the season came to an end in spectacular fashion at the Amex, courtesy of goals from Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres.
If not for some wasteful finishing, the Seagulls could have made Mikel Arteta’s day even worse, with the Gunners losing their spot at the top of the table to Manchester City.
And the away side were very fortunate not to finish the game with 10 men after Rice kicked out at Malick Yalcouye in a moment of frustration during the final few seconds of the match.
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Referee Darren England immediately showed the midfielder a yellow card, though Brighton players and fans demanded a red for what they believed was violent conduct.
Fans on social media concurred, comparing the incident to Phil Foden’s kick out at Bruno Fernandes during last week’s Manchester derby, which got the City star sent off.
Why was Declan Rice not sent off against Brighton?
“Referee gets that right.”
Alan Shearer thinks it was correct to give Declan Rice a yellow card against Brighton 🟨 pic.twitter.com/pCAUG5iHpl
As per talkSPORT, Video Assistant Referee Timothy Wood did indeed check and clear the incident before England blew the whistle for full-time.
It is reported that VAR decided the foul ‘did not meet the threshold for violent conduct’, with Rice’s actions considered to be ‘petulant at best’.
Had the England star been sent off for violent conduct, he would have been suspended for Arsenal’s next three Premier League matches after the international break.
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VAR’s view is shared by Premier League legend Alan Shearer, who told Match of the Day: ‘This was frustration from Declan Rice.
‘Yalcouye gives him a little nudge there and I do think the referee gets that right. He gives him a yellow card.
‘I don’t think it was too aggressive, he didn’t lash out at him, therefore I think the referee got that right, but it sort of summed Arsenal’s day up.’
