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.
Had he missed Saturday’s game, it can quickly become a slippery slope where match sharpness starts to be lacking especially with him missing out upon Arsenal’s return. Thankfully, Rice managed to get a full 90 minutes under his belt and a goal to keep his eye in which is the dream scenario for the Gunners.
He also managed to get away without any injury concerns which had been a worry in what was a hostile environment for the 25-year-old. Rice bossed the midfield for the Three Lions and it will be interesting to see how Arsenal cope without his presence next weekend at Spurs.
