Declan Rice has acquired defence from an unlikely supply following his crimson card in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday.
The Gunners seemed to be cruising on the Emirates, moving into 1-0 up at half-time due to a Kai Havertz strike, whereas Brighton had managed simply 0.08 xG and nil photographs on the right track within the first half.
Nevertheless, the sport turned simply 4 minutes into the second half when Rice was proven a second yellow card for delaying the restart by kicking the ball away to cease Joel Veltman taking a free-kick.
Though a reserving by the strict letter of the regulation, it’s vital to level out the ball was nonetheless shifting on the level Veltman tried to kick it.
Many Arsenal followers additionally identified that Joao Pedro — scorer of Brighton’s equaliser — averted a reserving for an much more apparent offence of the identical nature within the first half.
Ex-Tottenham midfielder defends Declan Rice after crimson card
The incident has sparked fierce debate on social media and amongst pundits.
However Rice has acquired defence from a quite sudden supply, with Jamie O’Hara — who featured 56 instances for Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham throughout his enjoying profession — labelling the crimson card ‘harsh’ and accusing referee Chris Kavanagh of missing ‘frequent sense’.
“For me personally, I feel it’s harsh. Joao Pedro kicks one away and doesn’t get booked for it,” O’Hara informed talkSPORT.
“Declan Rice then will get a yellow for that. If he goes and kicks it into the promoting boardings or picks it up and runs away after which throws it away. Then effective.
“However he faucets it a yard. Come on. The place’s the frequent sense?”
Within the midst of a back-and-forth with talkSPORT co-host Jason Cundy — who believes the referee made the proper resolution and accused Rice of ‘petulance’ — O’Hara added: “The place’s the frequent sense rule of a referee? The place you go ‘I can’t ship him off for that’.
“Even when it’s a primary yellow, you go, Dec, I’m going to offer you a reserving since you’re silly. However to ship him off, I feel that’s actually harsh.
“And I like to see Arsenal’s ache, however I feel that’s undeserving of a crimson card.”
