Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his disbelief after Declan Rice was sent off during a 1-1 draw against Brighton. The midfielder received a second yellow card early in the second half for delaying a free-kick by kicking the ball away. This decision came after Rice had already been booked in the first half for a foul on Brighton’s Joel Veltman.

Arteta criticized the inconsistency of the referee, Chris Kavanagh, highlighting two first-half incidents that went unpunished. Arteta argued that if the rules were applied consistently, Brighton's Joao Pedro should have also been booked for a similar offense. Despite going down to ten men, Arsenal managed to hold Brighton, who maintained their unbeaten start to the season with an equalizer from Pedro.

Opinions on the dismissal varied, with former referee Mike Dean supporting the decision due to pre-season warnings about delaying play. However, pundits like Martin Keown and Stephen Warnock questioned the severity of the punishment, suggesting Rice's actions didn't warrant a red card. The incident has sparked debate over the application of rules and the role of referee discretion in such situations.