Arsenal have three weeks to recover after suffering their first defeat of the campaign. The reigning Premier League champions fell 3-0 to Brighton and won’t be back in action until Leeds visit the Emirates on October 10. It proved a disappointing afternoon for the Gunners at the Amex, with goals from Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres securing all three points for Brighton.
Matters could have deteriorated further, with Declan Rice avoiding a red card following an off-the-ball incident. An extended international break now follows, during which certain squad members could feature in up to four matches. Mikel Arteta will be hoping everyone returns unharmed ahead of a demanding October schedule.
Not all players will be departing for international duty, as you’ll discover shortly, while further discussion has emerged surrounding the Rice incident. Here are the latest updates from north London…
Rice punishment verdict
Rice avoided a sanction after lashing out at Brighton midfielder Malick Yalcouye during stoppage time in Saturday’s loss. Yet after pundit Alan Shearer suggested he doesn’t believe it warranted a red card, former Premier League official Dermot Gallagher has agreed.
“I think it’s petulant. What you’ve got to remember is that it’s got to be deemed violent conduct,” Gallagher said during an appearance on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch.
“Is that brutal or malicious? I think not. He runs a risk, there’s no doubt about that. For me, that’s not an act of violence. It’s a very unwise thing to do, but the referee got it right
Double blow confirmed
While numerous Arsenal colleagues depart for international commitments, Piero Hincapie will remain in London. He joins several notable omissions from the Ecuador squad, including Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez.
South American reports suggest ‘injuries and physical issues’ are behind the trio’s unavailability. Hincapie remained on the bench during Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton on Saturday but hasn’t featured since the Champions League clash with Napoli on September 9.
Ecuador are scheduled to face South Korea on September 24 in the opening fixture of three matches throughout this international window. Players will have their initial opportunity to impress newly-appointed manager Marcelo Gallardo, who succeeded Sebastian Beccacece following the World Cup.
Hincapie’s Arsenal colleague Rice will similarly miss the forthcoming international break, due to workload management considerations. The England midfielder is among five players to pull out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad, including Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
