Declan Rice was not sent off during Arsenal's 3-0 loss to Brighton on Saturday, despite kicking out at Malick Yalcouye in the final moments of the match. The incident happened as Arsenal's perfect start to the season came to an end, with Brighton scoring through Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas, and Chema Andres. Referee Darren England showed Rice a yellow card, but Brighton players and fans argued for a red card, claiming the action constituted violent conduct. Some online commentators compared Rice’s kick to a similar incident involving Phil Foden during the Manchester derby, where Foden was shown a red card for striking Bruno Fernandes. According to talkSPORT, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident and determined that Rice’s actions did not meet the criteria for violent conduct, describing them as "petulant at best." If Rice had been sent off, he would have faced a three-match ban for Arsenal's upcoming Premier League games after the international break, which include matches against Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and Everton. Premier League legend Alan Shearer backed the referee's decision, stating that Rice's actions were not overly aggressive and that the yellow card was appropriate. He noted that the incident reflected Arsenal's overall performance in the match, which was ultimately a disappointing loss for the team.