Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been under extreme focus this past week after his sending off in the draw with Brighton and Hove Albion.
While it would be fair to argue that Rice’s second yellow was a tad harsh, the midfielder would likely also accept that he gave the referee a decision to make by kicking the ball away needlessly – even if it was just a matter of a couple of feet. The furore around the dismissal grew when its knock-on effect was later considered.
The Gunners are unable to appeal Rice’s red card because it was a second caution and thus they know he will miss next Sunday’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Rice will clearly be a big miss for Mikel Arteta at Tottenham but there could have been a prospect where the midfielder played no competitive football for nearly three weeks.
Immediately following the Brighton game, Arsenal headed into an international break which is not always a guarantee of minutes for players. England were competing in the Nations League on Saturday and the manner of their victory over the Republic of Ireland showed why Lee Carsley may have been tempted not to play Rice.
