LONDON (AP) — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left fuming at what he called inconsistent refereeing after Declan Rice’s sending off led to Arsenal dropping its first points of the English Premier League in a 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday.
Last-placed Everton could only lament its own inconsistencies — and inability to defend crosses — after giving up a 2-0 lead in the final minutes to lose 3-2 at home against Bournemouth, while Brentford showed again that it can cope just fine without Ivan Toney by beating Southampton 3-1.
Everton and Southampton were without a point at the bottom of the table, while Arsenal and Brighton saw their perfect starts to the league come to an end.
At Emirates Stadium, Arsenal was 1-0 up and looked in control when Rice was shown a second yellow card in the 49th minute, apparently for nudging the ball to the side as Joel Veltman tried to take a quick free kick near the sideline deep in Brighton’s half.
Veltman kicked Rice from behind in the process and the home crowd was screaming for the Brighton player to get sanctioned, only for referee Chris Kavanagh to show Rice a red card instead.
“I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed, because of how inconsistent decisions can be,” Arteta said, arguing that similar offenses went unpunished earlier in the game. “By law he (Kavanagh) can make the call. But by law then he needs to make the next call, which is red card (for Veltman). So we play 10 against 10.”
That decision turned the game completely and Joao Pedro equalized from a rebound in the 58th after David Raya saved a shot from Yankuba Minteh.
Kai Havertz put Arsenal ahead in the 38th with a lob over goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and had a chance to restore Arsenal’s lead when he ran through on goal again in the 74th but his low shot was saved that time.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka also pointed to Pedro escaping without a booking for kicking the ball away much more forcefully in the first half to prevent Arsenal taking a quick throw-in.
“We just want some consistency,” Saka said. “Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it and Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off.”
Saka also had a late chance for a winner after meeting a cross from Havertz, but his lunging effort didn’t cause much of a problem for Verbruggen.
Brighton and Arsenal were two of four teams to win their opening two league games. The draw gives defending champion Manchester City a chance to go top of the standings if it beats West Ham away in Saturday’s late kickoff.
Liverpool also has six points from two games and plays at Manchester United on Sunday.
Everton collapse
A bad start to Everton’s last season at Goodison Park got worse on Saturday, with frustrated home fans flooding out of the stadium at the final whistle.
Everton looked set to earn its first points of the season after Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave it a 2-0 lead that stood until the 87th minute. But as soon as Antoine Semenyo pulled one back, nerves seemed to set in among the Everton players and home fans, and Lewis Cook took advantage by heading home an equalizer in the second minute of injury time.
With Goodison Park shell-shocked, Bournemouth kept pouring forward and found a winner in similar fashion, as Luis Sinisterra was left unmarked to head home another cross at the far post three minutes later.
Bournemouth moved to five points after opening the season with two draws.
Toney watches as Mbuemo shines
Toney was on hand to watch Brentford from the stands after completing a deadline-day move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli on Friday, and watched as Bryan Mbuemo took up his role as goalscorer instead.
Mbuemo netted the first two goals and Yoanne Wissa added the third to make it a frustrating Southampton debut for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsey, who joined from Arsenal this week. Southampton did score its first goal of the season, though, as Yukinari Sugawara netted a late consolation in injury time.
Also, Aston Villa hung on for a 2-1 win at Leicester, promoted Ipswich earned its first point with a 1-1 draw against Fulham, and Nottingham Forest also drew at home against Wolves 1-1. ___
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