A sport that pivoted on the controversial sending off of Declan Rice early within the second half resulted in a 1-1 draw.

Kai Havertz had put us right into a first-half lead when he deftly lobbed the onrushing keeper after operating onto a Bukayo Saka go.

We had been seemingly in management till Rice was proven purple for 2 bookable offences, the second for time losing, when the referee determined he had prevented a fast restart.

The guests quickly made their benefit depend, and levelled on the hour by Joao Pedro. We had an opportunity to win it when Havertz raced by on the counter, however in the long run the ten males needed to accept a single level.

Havertz provides us carry off

Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka linked up early on. The skipper lifted a ball excessive for the winger to run on to inside the world, however Saka didn’t get any energy on his volleyed effort. Ben White did catch his strike from the sting of the world sweetly moments later, and it gave the impression to be heading goalwards, however Lewis Dunk deflected it away for a nook off his arm. The referee waved away appeals for handball towards the Brighton defender.

An exquisite curling cross from Leandro Trossard – within the group on the expense of Gabriel Martinelli – arrange our subsequent probability. The Belgian’s go was completely into the trail of the arrival Odegaard, however there was no energy behind his shot.

Brighton’s first actual sight of objective got here on the half hour. Havertz misdirected his headed clearance inside his personal field and Kaoru Mitoma latched onto it, flashing his volley simply huge.

The objective to interrupt the impasse got here out of nothing. Jurrien Timber received the ball and launched it up discipline from outdoors his personal space. Saka received the header and the ball bounced by to the advancing Havertz. The German stole in and lifted the ball over the top of Bart Verbruggen from outdoors the world into the online.

It was Havertz’s 18th objective involvement in his final 21 Premier League video games, and he’s scored 5 instances in his final 5 appearances at Emirates Stadium.

Rice sees purple

The primary motion of the second half was a Declan Rice shot deflected huge for a nook, and moments later Rice was the centre of consideration once more. He gave away a free kick by the nook flag, then nudged the ball away earlier than Joel Veltman may take it. Referee Chris Kavanagh deemed it a second yellow card for timewasting, and dismissed the England midfielder.

Diminished to 10 males for just about half the sport, it additionally means Rice might be suspended for the north London derby after the worldwide break.

Inside quarter-hour of the purple card, Brighton had levelled. Raya saved properly from Yankuba Minteh as he burst between our central defenders contained in the field, however Pedro was there to transform the rebound.

Mikel Arteta reacted by sending on Riccardo Calafiori for Leandro Trossard, and shifting Jurrien Timber right into a central function.

Late possibilities

The entire momentum of the sport had modified with the referee struggling to maintain management.

We had been having to take in stress, however Havertz had an excellent alternative on the break from a protracted Gabriel clearance. He took the ball fantastically on the run, however his low shot was stopped by Verbruggen, and Saka’s comply with up was charged down.

Raya saved properly together with his legs from Yasin Ayari earlier than Saka couldn’t fairly get sufficient buy on a Havertz cross in entrance of objective.

In the long run we needed to take a degree, sustaining our unbeaten begin to the season.

What’s subsequent

The worldwide gamers will now be part of up with their respective international locations for the primary worldwide break of the season. We’ll return to motion the next weekend, with the quick journey to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the north London derby, on Sunday, September 15.