Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton, but the match was overshadowed by a controversial decision that saw Declan Rice sent off. The incident has sparked widespread debate, with former Chelsea and England defender John Terry being one of the most vocal critics.
The controversy began early in the second half when Declan Rice, who had already been booked in the first half for a late challenge on Joel Veltman, received a second yellow card from referee Chris Kavanagh. The second booking came after Rice was adjudged to have delayed the restart of play by slightly kicking the ball away as Veltman prepared to take a quick free-kick.
John Terry did not hold back in his criticism of the decision. Taking to social media, Terry described the second yellow card as the “worst decision EVER,” with an angry face emoji. His response matched that of many Arsenal supporters and experts, who believed the decision was too harsh.
Declan Rice himself expressed his disappointment on Instagram, stating that he did not feel the second yellow card was deserved but vowed to learn from the experience.
The decision to send off Rice had a significant impact on the game. Arsenal, who had taken the lead through Kai Havertz, were forced to defend with ten men for the remainder of the match. Brighton capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Joao Pedro scoring the equalizer shortly after Rice’s dismissal.
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