ARSENAL fans fumed at referee Chris Kavanagh after Brighton forward Joao Pedro escaped a yellow card for kicking the ball away, before Declan Rice received a second booking for an identical offence.
Mikel Arteta‘s men were reduced to 10 men four minutes into the second half when they led 1-0 at the Emirates, before Brighton equalised to earn a 1-1 draw.
Rice, who received his first caution shortly before the break for a late challenge on Joel Veltman, was then involved in a second altercation with the Dutch defender that led to his dismissal.
After Brighton had been awarded a free-kick, Rice nudged the ball out of play as Veltman tried to take it quickly.
Veltman then swiped through Rice, but referee Kavanagh spotted the Arsenal midfielder’s crafty act and was sent off.
However, the official failed to act on another moment of dissent in the first half.
Seagulls star Pedro, 22, could not keep the ball in play as he attempted to break away down the left flank in the 18th minute.
But after it had gone out, he then booted the ball down the pitch towards Gunners keeper David Raya.
The Arsenal players were raging, though Kavanagh did not deem it a bookable offence.
And when the Rice dismissal then occurred, Arsenal supporters took to X to vent their frustrations.
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One said: “Everyone is pretending Rice deserved a second yellow for that. Absolutely pathetic officiating. Double standards all over again.
“Joao Pedro did the same thing in a way more aggressive way in the first half and didn’t get a card.”
Another added: “Pedro did the exact same thing but 10x worse and the ref didn’t even think about carding him .”
A third replied: “What about Joao Pedro in first half? Nothing… just double standards.”
While a fourth responded: “Yellow card for kicking the ball away. Should’ve been the same to Joao Pedro in the first half and also should’ve been at least a yellow for Veltman, but always double standards in the Prem.”
And a fifth said: “Where’s the yellow for Pedro when he booted the ball across the field after a foul?
“If you don’t give that one, you CANNOT give Rice one. Blatant double standards.”
Arsenal manager Arteta also commented on the consistency of officiating in the game.
He said: “The decision changes the game completely.
“If it happens throughout the game in a consistent way then that’s fine but it didn’t happen.
“In the first half there were a number of occasions where they kicked the ball away and nothing happened. It’s inconsistency.
“Especially because it’s in an area that’s not critical. You made that call then you have to give a red card.
“We had to play with 10. If we had to play with 10 then they had to play with 10 because it’s a red card for Veltman.”
When pressed on whether he had been given an explanation for Rice’s sending off, he added: “No, none – like always.”
Pedro was eventually booked in the 96th minute after remonstrating with Kavanagh.
