Mark Halsey, a former Premier League referee, has voiced strong criticism of Chris Kavanagh’s decision to send Declan Rice off with a red card during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton. Halsey argued that the call seemed overly aggressive and suggested that Kavanagh could have better managed the situation.
Rice received a second yellow card for delaying the restart following a foul on Joel Veltman. However, Halsey pointed out that the ball was still in motion when Veltman took the free-kick, questioning the necessity of the restart. He also highlighted that Brighton’s Joao Pedro had committed a similar infraction earlier in the match without facing any consequences.
Halsey concluded that Kavanagh’s decision was too severe, especially for a referee with his level of experience. This red card had a significant impact on the game, as Arsenal’s lead was quickly canceled out by Pedro’s equalizer shortly after Rice was sent off.
