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Louise Thomas

Editor

In a Premier League title race of inches, Arsenal and Declan Rice may have already handed Manchester City a huge advantage. 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.

It was telling that Arteta did not argue Rice’s second yellow afterwards, which will rule the England international out of the trip to Tottenham in the north London derby, but the Arsenal manager was astounded that Veltman’s kick on his player went unpunished and an earlier incident involving Joao Pedro, who scored a second-half equaliser, kicking the ball down the touchline was not picked up on by the officials.

“I was amazed,” Arteta said. “Amazed, amazed, amazed. Because of how inconsistent decisions can be. The ball hits Declan. He doesn’t see the player coming, touches the ball. By law, [the referee] can make that call. But by law, then he needs to make the next call, which is a red card [for Veltman] and we play 10 against 10. This is what amazed me. At this level, it is honestly amazing.”

Rice received his first yellow card towards the end of the first half following a late challenge on Veltman in midfield, clipping his opponent after sliding in for a loose ball. The contest had already grown tetchy by then, as a result of Martin Odegaard picking up a knock early in the game after being caught by Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, as well as Bukayo Saka being involved in a series of grappling duels with full-back Jack Hinselwood. Havertz’s lobbed finish to break the deadlock did not lower the temperature of the afternoon’s early kick-off.

Pedro’s equaliser came as Brighton exploited the free space in Arsenal’s midfield following Rice’s red card, with Yankuba Minteh’s shot saved by David Raya and Pedro firing into an empty net. For a player who is as experienced as Rice, it was an unusually mindless act and it gave Kavanagh a decision to make. Did Veltman actually want to take the free kick quickly, or did the Dutchman spot an opportunity to get Rice into trouble for delaying the game? Only he can say, but on TNT Sports Peter Crouch suggested Veltman had “played the referee”.

Arsenal were also aggrieved after Pedro kicked the ball down the touchline after it had clearly rolled out of play during the first half. Arteta’s call for inconsistency was echoed by Saka. "I thought it was a bit harsh for us,” the winger said. “Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it and Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off. It is what it is, I don’t want to put the whole game on the referee as we still had chances to win it. It has been a good start. Today is a disappointment but it is a long season."

Pedro would go on to equalise, and Brighton sensed the opportunity to steal all three points. There were chances for both teams, partly because Brighton were so adventurous in pushing for victory under manager Fabian Hurzeler. Arsenal had spaces to counter-attack into, with Havertz denied by Verbruggen when he was played through on goal and Saka missing his chance following a square ball from Havertz. Both were golden opportunities. Raya, though, produced a big stop of his own to deny Yasin Ayari’s volley. In the end, Arsenal and Brighton finished with more than 2.2 xG (expected goals). Somehow, the winner did not arrive for either side.

Despite the chances, there were moments where a point felt like a good result for Arsenal, as Arteta changed his team to sit in with a back-five and defenders William Saliba, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori threw themselves into blocks with Brighton pushing for a winner. It was not too dissimilar from some of Arsenal’s defensive stands away from home when they were going for the title last season.

There were no celebrations this time, though, only disappointed expressions on the Arsenal players and boos towards referee Kavanagh. It’s only August, but this was an afternoon where the pressure of the title race, in this era of the Premier League, was already clear.

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