The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel has determined that referee Chris Kavanagh had “no choice” but to send off Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice in the match against Brighton.
As a result of the red card, Rice will be unavailable for Sunday’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.
The England international was already on a yellow card at the beginning of the second half when he received a second booking for preventing Joel Veltman from taking a quick free kick.
Although Rice made only minimal contact with the ball, Kavanagh judged it to be a deliberate attempt to impede his opponent.
The panel unanimously supported the decision, stating: “Rice knows what he’s doing – it’s a gentle touch, but once the referee sees it, he has no choice.”