Arsenal star Declan Rice breaks silence on controversial red card against Brighton

Declan Rice disagreed with the decision to send him off during Arsenal’s Premier League draw with Brighton but vowed to ‘learn and be better for it’.

Rice received a yellow card for a foul on Brighton’s Joel Veltman and then picked up a second for kicking the ball away as the visitors tried to take a free-kick.

The dismissal proved costly as, just nine minutes later, Joao Pedro cancelled out Kai Havertz’s first-half opener to secure Brighton a point and deny Arsenal a third successive Premier League win.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said he was ‘amazed’ by the decision and Rice also disagreed with Chris Kavanagh’s call, though he has promised to learn from the experience.

He posted on Instagram: ‘Disappointed. Didn’t feel it deserved a second yellow card but will learn and be better for it.

‘Proud of the boys regardless and thank you for the amazing support Gunners.’

Reacting to Rice’s red card, Arsenal boss Arteta said: ‘I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.