Arsenal 'hysteria' slammed as Declan Rice red card theory emerges

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been criticised by Richard Keys for his 'stupidity' which led to him receiving a second yellow card against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

Rice had already been booked when he was involved in a bizarre incident which ultimately saw him dismissed. As Joel Veltman was preparing to take a quick free kick, the England international nudged the ball off the field and was kicked by the Seagulls' defender in the process.

Referee Chris Kavanagh reluctantly gave Rice a second yellow for the incident which delayed Brighton restarting the game. After the match, Mikel Arteta was highly critical of the officiating.

"I was amazed," the Spaniard explained. "Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.

"In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan [on the back of his leg], he turns around, he doesn't see the player coming and he touches the ball.

"By law, he can make that call, but then by law he needs to make the next call, which is [a] red card so we play 10vs10. This is what amazed me. At this level it’s amazing."

READ MORE: Can Arsenal appeal Rice red card?

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One person to have little sympathy for Arteta or Rice for that matter was ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys. Reflecting on this weekend's incident in his blog, he wrote: "Let this be my last word on Declan Rice’s sending off. Why all the hysteria?

"‘The worst red of all time,’ screamed Piers Morgan - leading the Arsenal collective indignation. A couple of things here. It wasn’t a red. For delaying the restart he was booked. He’d already been booked so he had to go.

"He was stupid. He knew what he was doing.

"I’m afraid the laws of the game apply to England internationals the same as they do anybody else. I agree Chris Kavanagh could’ve looked away - and he might’ve done had Rice not collapsed like a pack of cards trying to get Veltman sent-off.

"I also agree that [Joao] Pedro should’ve been booked - but that wouldn’t have negated Rice’s offence." The dismissal cannot be appealed by the Gunners meaning Rice will miss Arsenal's clash with fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur following the international break.