The Premier League’s Match Incidents panel has confirmed that referee Chris Kavanagh made the correct decision in issuing a red card to Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice during the match against Brighton.
Rice will miss Arsenal’s upcoming match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, September 15, due to the suspension resulting from the red card.
At the beginning of the second half, Rice was already on a yellow card when he received a second booking. The foul occurred when he obstructed Joel Veltman from taking a quick free kick.
Although Rice made only minimal contact with the ball, the panel agreed with Kavanagh’s assessment that Rice had deliberately impeded Veltman.
The panel unanimously supported the referee’s decision, stating: “Rice knows what he’s doing – it’s a gentle touch, but once the referee sees it he has no choice.”
