Premier League explains Declan Rice's red card as Arsenal supporters criticize 'controversial' decision

The Premier League has officially announced the cause behind Declan Rice's dismissal during Arsenal's recent Premier League fixture against Brighton.

Mikel Arteta’s side looked on course to extend their 100% start to the new season when they led at the break, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s second goal of the campaign.

The match swung, however, during the opening stages of the second period when Rice was given his marching orders for the first time in his career.

Having received a yellow card in the first half for clattering into Joel Veltman, Rice was dismissed just four minutes after the restart when he nudged the ball away from the same player as he was preparing to take a free kick.

Despite making only minimal contact with the ball Rice was cautioned again, despite taking a kick to the shin, for ‘delaying the restart’, according to the official Premier League match centre.

The pill was a particularly bitter one for Arsenal fans to swallow given Rice’s suspension will mean he will miss the north London derby after the international break, a match that new signing Mikel Merino has already been ruled out of.

Arsenal supporters on social media couldn’t believe what they were witnessing, especially after referee Chris Kavanagh opted against booking Joao Pedro in the first half for a far more obvious time wasting offence.

Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour branded the decision to send Rice off a ‘joke’ and a ‘disgrace’ while celebrity fan Piers Morgan labelled it ‘the worst red card decision in football history’.