FA Premier League
ARSENAL 1 (Havertz 38)
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 (Joao Pedro 58)

SUPPORTERS across the Premier League part with huge sums to watch a game each week, knowing that the elite division can provide moments of awe, magic and surprise.

The cost of a ticket is too much, however, for a good contest like the one which was emerging between Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion today (Saturday) to be ruined by referees reaching madcap conclusions.

And so it was that Chris Kavanagh, the man in the middle, changed the course of the match and maybe a lot more by showing a second yellow card and then a red to Declan Rice shortly into the second half for what he said was delaying the restart.

Had Rice ballooned the ball into the back of the stands? Had he raised his leg to block a quick Brighton breakaway?

His crime was a touch on the ball back in the Brighton half which was so innocuous that it moved with a trickle, so it was impossible not to ask why this deserved a yellow card and the game-changing sending off, while some of the visiting players had gone unpunished for several fouls on Buyako Saka to prevent him racing into dangerous positions or even more pertinently for kicking the ball away.

For his trouble, Rice was kicked around the legs by Brighton’s Joel Veltman, who escaped without any sanction at all.

As Saka told the TNT Sports film crews afterwards: “We just want some consistency. Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it. Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off.”

It’s a valid question for the Premier League reffing chiefs who quickly came out to defend Kavanagh this afternoon (Saturday). It had been a stickler decision by Kavanagh to book Rice but he had not applied the same rigid strictness to others. The ref will now have a very busy season booking anybody who slightly touches the ball after a foul – or face claims of more unfairness.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was understandably fuming. This is a league where you almost need to win every match to finish first and Kavanagh’s stupidity had put the brakes on the Gunners today, but also removed Rice from the upcoming North London Derby with Spurs due to the unwarranted suspension from action he will now endure.

“I was amazed. Amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be,” said Arteta. “In the first half there are two decisions and nothing happens. In the second half in a non-critical area Declan is not even looking.”

Rice himself told the club’s website: “It was tough, it was harsh. It’s one of them things, I have to move on from it. I can only really praise the players to be honest, for digging deep and getting through it… 1-1 is not ideal, we want to win every game – that’s what we strive for, that’s what we believe we can do.”

Arsenal had looked good value for a home win with Saka leaving Seagulls’ full-back Adam Hinshelwood looking like a lower division player with the number of times he danced past him. The Gunners’ star player laid on the assist for Arsenal’s goal nearing half-time, clipping a ball through to free Kai Havetz to score with a clever lob.

There were chances to extend the lead but the game’s tone and direction changed with Rice’s red card. The hole left by his absence was quickly exposed when Lewis Dunk pushed a simple ball from the back line, through the midfield and into the path of Yankuba Minteh. David Raya saved his shot but Joao Pedro rushed into to score the rebound.

Even with ten men, Arsenal had chances to win with a great opportunity on the break wasted by Havertz.

Meanwhile, Saka was too much on the stretch when he tried to steer in a cross.

Brighton at the other end could not make the most of their numerical advantage, despite good control and possession. Raya saved well on a couple of occasions but the match was disappearing towards a draw to frustrate both clubs and delight new leaders Manchester City, the champions currently facing a slew of charges in relation to their financial conduct.

ARSENAL: Raya, White, Timber (Zinchenko 80), Saliba, Gabriel, Partey, Rice, Odegaard (Martinelli 74), Saka, Trossard (Calafiori 59), Havertz
SUBS NOT USED: Setford, Kiwior, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Oulad M’hand

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION: Verbruggen, van Hecke, Veltman (Estupinan 72), Dunk, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Milner (Ayari 17), Minteh (Georginio Rutter 72), Mitoma (Adingra 85), Welbeck (Enciso 85), Jaoo Pedro
SUBS NOT USED: Steele, Lamptey, Igor, Webster