Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has called for greater consistency in refereeing decisions following Declan Rice's controversial red card against Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium after Rice was dismissed for a second bookable offense early in the second half.
Speaking after the game, Saka expressed his frustration over the inconsistency in officiating, saying: "I thought it was a bit harsh for us. We just want some consistency. Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it, and Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off."
Saka highlighted that despite the setback, Arsenal still had opportunities to win the game.
"It is what it is, I don’t want to put the whole game on the referee as we still had chances to win it," he added. Reflecting on Arsenal's season so far, Saka added: "It has been a good start. Today is a disappointment but it is a long season."
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The controversy surrounding Rice’s sending off came as he knocked the ball away from Brighton's Joel Veltman when the latter prepared to take a free-kick, leading to a second yellow card for the Arsenal midfielder.
Earlier in the match, Brighton's Joao Pedro was not penalized for a similar act of kicking the ball away, which further fueled Arsenal's frustration.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also voiced his concerns over the decision-making, labeling it "inconsistent."
Speaking to TNT Sports, Arteta said: "If it [bookings] happens throughout the game in a consistent way, it is fine, but it didn’t. It is the inconsistency.” He went on to lament the impact of Rice's red card on the game, noting, "We started the second half really good, but then there is the decision that changes the game completely."
Declan Rice is sent off for the first time in his career after a second yellow for kicking the ball away
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 31, 2024
He'll miss the north London derby in two weeks 😳 pic.twitter.com/vWQd2NPz8D
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, however, defended the referee's decision, stating: "First of all, he shoots the ball away, so it is a clear yellow card, it changes the momentum of the game."
The debate over the red card overshadowed what was otherwise a tightly contested match, with Kai Havertz opening the scoring for Arsenal before Joao Pedro's equalizer for Brighton.
Despite the controversy, both teams left with a point, and Arsenal now looks ahead to the rest of the season with hopes of building on their strong start.
