“Veltman’s quite simply played the referee” - Peter Crouch delivers verdict on Declan Rice receiving red card in Arsenal draw with Brighton
Former striker Peter Crouch has offered his take on Declan Rice getting sent off after a second yellow card, as Arsenal and Brighton drew 1-1 at the Emirates on Saturday. Bpth sides dropped points, having started the season with two wins out of two. However, the biggest talking point of the game will be Rice, who was sent off four minutes into the second half.
Rice had picked up a yellow card earlier in the game when he tackled Joel Veltman, but his second yellow card was shown after a bizarre incident. After a foul was given to Brighton near the corner flag, Veltman attempted to take a quick freekick only to kick Rice after the Gunners midfielder had kicked the ball away.
Crouch shared his verdict on the decision to send Rice off. The former Liverpool striker said while on punditry duties with TNT Sports (via Independent):
“Everyone who’s played football understands what’s happened there. Veltman’s quite simply played the referee.
"There’s no way he’s trying to play a pass 60-yards to nobody. He’s trying to get Declan Rice into trouble. He knows he’s on a yellow card, and it’s worked. That’s been the difference in the game."
He added:
“Having said that, Rice does nick the ball away, and to the letter of the law, that is a yellow card. Veltman’s definitely played the referee, but having said that, he’s kicked the ball away and has to go.”
The dismissal changed the game for Arsenal, who had scored a first-half goal through Kai Havertz. In the second half, Brighton equalised nine minutes after Rice's red card, with Joao Pedro scoring in the 58th minute.
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown shares his thoughts on Declan Rice red card
While Crouch explained that Declan Rice's second yellow card was based on "the letter of the law", former Arsenal defender Martin Keown feels different. Keown said (via Independent):
“Why is Veltman knocking the ball into Rice’s path, and where is he supposed to go?
"The principle of the new law is to move people away from the ball, but the referee has a responsibility to keep both sets of 11 players on the pitch, and I don’t feel that that is a sending off offence."
Arsenal will feel hard done by but will have to make do with a 1-1 draw in front of their fans at the Emirates. They were the better side in the first half, registering six shots at goal with five on target, while possession was fairly balanced, as the Gunners had 48%.
However, in the second half, things turned in Brighton's favour, with the Seagulls taking 19 shots at goal and holding 76% of possession. Throughout the match, Brighton also had more accurate passes, with 390 (86% accurate), while the Gunners only had 198 (74% accurate).