September 10th 2024.
Declan Rice will unfortunately be absent from the upcoming North London derby due to his red card in the recent match against Brighton. His sending off has caused quite a stir in the football world, with even renowned pundit Gary Lineker standing by his initial criticism of the decision.
The Premier League panel, made up of five members, unanimously supported the referee's decision to give Rice his marching orders. It was a controversial moment in the game, with the Arsenal midfielder receiving two yellow cards for separate incidents. While the first yellow was understandable for a rough foul, the second one has divided opinions.
Rice was accused of deliberately preventing Joel Veltman from taking a quick free kick by kicking the ball away. Although this action technically goes against the rules and warrants a booking, some argue that Veltman was not actually planning on taking the free kick and was just trying to get Rice sent off. Additionally, it has been pointed out that the referee failed to book another player, Joao Pedro, for a similar offense of time-wasting.
Despite these arguments, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel stood by their decision and stated that Rice's touch on the ball was 'clear, deliberate, and impactful'. This did not sit well with Lineker, who took to Twitter to express his frustration and called the decision 'utter nonsense'.
The Match of the Day host had already voiced his discontent with the red card, stating that it was proof that 'football had lost its mind'. He argued that while the first yellow was justified, the second one was a result of strict adherence to the rules rather than using common sense. Lineker also acknowledged that referees are bound by the letter of the law, but he believes that in certain situations, a bit of leniency is necessary.
Rice will now serve his suspension and return to the field for Arsenal's Champions League match against Atalanta on September 19. In the meantime, he will have to watch his team face off against Tottenham in the highly-anticipated North London derby. It remains to be seen how Arsenal will fare without their star midfielder, but one thing is for sure, this incident has sparked a lot of discussion and debate in the football community.
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