Unheard audio of Declan Rice moments after the Arsenal midfielder was sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion has emerged.
The England international was shown a second yellow card in the 1-1 draw against the Seagulls before the international break for preventing Joel Veltman from taking a quick free-kick by kicking the ball away. Rice delicately touched the ball out of play as Veltman went to take the free-kick with referee Chris Kavanagh claiming he had “no choice” but to send the Arsenal man off.
The incident, which has split opinion across the footballing world, was reviewed by PGMOL chief Howard Webb in this season’s first instalment of “Match Officials Mic’d Up”. Webb and Michael Owen analysed the conversations between the match officials on the programme, with the full VAR audio released.
Interestingly, Kavanagh and the VAR agreed that Rice should be given a second yellow card, with the referee heard saying: “I have no choice, he knocks the ball away.”
Kavanagh adds: “He’s put me in an awful position. You did kick the ball away, you did. Dec you need to go. I don’t like it but he’s knocked the ball. Dec you need to go I am afraid.”
After Kavanagh shows Rice the red card, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel are among the players to rush over to the referee to question the decision. A stunned Rice then joins them and what he says can be heard on the referee’s mic.
When Kavanagh tells Rice “you did kick the ball”, the midfielder responds: “No I didn’t.” What Odegaard says is also picked up on the mic, with the Gunners captain saying: “It’s a joke.”
“Dec, you need to go I’m afraid,” Kavanagh says as the Arsenal midfielder is told the decision stands following a VAR check. Once the clip had finished, Webb offered his verdict on the incident where he agreed with the on-field decision to send Rice off.
“As you hear from Chris Kavanagh, he’s clearly seen Declan Rice commit a foul, then kick the ball away from an opponent that was in the process of taking a free-kick,” Webb said. “We’ve messaged very clearly and strongly to the players in pre-season around the importance of not getting involved with the ball once the whistle is gone, not delaying the restart in that way.
“Once he’s seen Declan Rice deliberately, clearly kick that ball away from the position of that free-kick, then I don’t think he’s got any choice.”
