Declan Rice receives strange red card in Arsenal and Brighton clash as fans fume
Declan Rice was sent off against Brighton
TNT Sports
Declan Rice was handed a bizarre red card after receiving a second yellow card against Brighton on Saturday.
Arsenal fans were fuming inside the Emirates when a soft foul was given against Joel Veltman, who tried to take a quick free-kick.
Rice, who had been booked earlier in the contest, cutely kicked the ball away with Veltman thumping the England international in the process.
And it saw the midfielder handed a second yellow for kicking the ball away, a decision confirmed by VAR, while Veltman escaped punishment.
Declan Rice has been sent off against Brighton
TNT Sports
And Arsenal fans were left shocked and furious by the decision while Rice, who has never been sent off before, vented his frustrations on the pitch before eventually walking off.
"That red card makes no sense," one fan said.
Another wrote: "I cannot believe Rice was sent off for that."
While a third posted: "This refereeing is awful."
Arsenal's misery was further compounded after Joao Pedro equalised for Brighton moments later, cancelling Kai Havertz's first-half strike.
While Arsenal fans fumed over the decision, the letter of the law states that the referee Chris Kavanagh had made the right call.
By kicking the ball away, that is an instant yellow card no matter the situation, for delaying the opposition.
Rice after making the foul on Veltman, slyly tried to toe the ball off the pitch.
And the Brighton defender, who tried to take the free-kick quickly, ended up booting Rice instead after he put his leg in the way.
Declan Rice was handed a second yellow card for slyly kicking the ball away
PA
The former West Ham star had been booked earlier in the contest after a crunching challenge that might have seen him sent off on another day.
Havertz had put Arsenal ahead on Saturday after Bukayo Saka got the better of Lewis Dunk to supply the Germany international, who deliciously chipped Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton net.
Pedro equalised just minutes after Rice's red card in the second half, though, latching onto a rebounded shot from Yankuba Minteh following a fine save from David Raya.
Declan Rice was dumbfounded by the decision to send him off
PA
Both Arsenal and Brighton had started the season with a 100 per cent record, winning both games comprehensively.
Mikel Arteta is desperate to finally get one over Manchester City in the title race and are expected to seriously challenge Pep Guardiola's side.
While Fabian Hurzeler, 31, became the youngest Premier League manager after joining the Seagulls over the summer, replacing Roberto De Zerbi.