September 11th 2024.
Joel Veltman faced accusations of trying to get Declan Rice sent off during Brighton's recent match against Arsenal. However, Veltman has since praised Rice for his reaction in the aftermath of the controversial incident.
During the tempestuous 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, Rice was given a second yellow card for stopping Veltman from taking a quick free-kick. The Arsenal midfielder will now serve a one-match suspension in the upcoming North London derby against Tottenham on Sunday.
Rice appeared astonished when referee Chris Kavanagh dismissed him, as he had only made minimal contact with the ball before receiving a kick from Veltman. The former West Ham captain accepted his punishment and vowed to learn from his moment of petulance that has now ruled him out of an important game for his club.
Veltman, on the other hand, was impressed by Rice's reaction and denied any accusations that he had intentionally tried to get the Arsenal player sent off. In an interview with Sky Sports, Veltman stated that he did not want to comment too much on the incident, as there is a new game coming up. He also mentioned that he did not intend to kick Rice and apologized for doing so. He found the decision to give him a yellow card quite harsh and clarified that he was not asking for a second yellow from the referee.
Rice's suspension for the North London derby was confirmed by the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel on Tuesday. They stated that the referee made the right call, as Rice knew what he was doing and the referee had no choice but to give him a second yellow.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, they will also be without Mikel Merino due to injury and are waiting for an update on their captain Martin Odegaard, who sprained his ankle while playing for Norway on Monday. Despite the setbacks, the team is determined to bounce back and secure a win in the upcoming derby.
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