Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was sent off in the second half of Saturday’s match against Brighton, leaving many fans and pundits stunned. The decision has sparked widespread controversy, with high-profile supporter Piers Morgan leading the criticism.

Morgan took to social media to express his outrage, describing the red card as “the worst decision in football history.” He shared a clip of the incident, captioning it: “What the f*** was that? Declan Rice sent off for being kicked to pieces? Worst red card decision I’ve ever seen.”

Rice’s dismissal came after he was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, despite being kicked by Brighton’s Joel Veltman in the same incident. The Premier League later confirmed that the red card was for delaying the restart, citing new rules introduced for the 2024/25 season.

The decision has been widely criticized, with many arguing that Veltman should have received a red card for his kick on Rice. TNT Sports commentator Ally McCoist described the incident as a “kick-out” and expressed surprise that Veltman was not sent off.

Rice’s red card means he will miss Arsenal’s next match, a crucial North London Derby against Tottenham on September 15. The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw against Brighton, leaving them with seven points from their first three games.

The controversy surrounding Rice’s dismissal has sparked a wider debate about the consistency of refereeing decisions in the Premier League. Fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see how the situation develops.