Ian Wright aims dig at Arsenal star for ‘jogging’ during Brighton draw

Ian Wright wasn’t happy with Arsenal’s defending in their 1-1 draw against Brighton (Picture: PLP)

Ian Wright was unimpressed with the defending that led to Brighton’s equalising goal in their 1-1 Premier League draw against Arsenal.

The Gunners led at the interval after Kai Havertz lobbed his side ahead with a well-taken goal that underlined his new found confidence.

Declan Rice’s controversial sending off, however, swung the momentum of the match that ultimately ended in a draw after Joao Pedro pounced to scored a deserved equaliser.

The Brazilian’s goal came after Lewis Dunk’s precise pass caught out Arsenal’s central defender and created a chance for Yankuba Minteh.

David Raya saved the Ghana international’s shot but Pedro was on hand to bury the rebound have sprinted away from Thomas Partey, much to Wright’s annoyance.

The Arsenal legend told Premier League Productions: ‘When you look at the play, you look at Thomas Partey he’s literally run past him.

‘Thomas Partey has to recognise in that instant he has to go all the way with Pedro and at least make a challenge. Pedro blasts past him and he’s just kind of jogging back.

‘Those are the things that when you look back at that you’ll say well that could have been avoided. Maybe more pressure could’ve been put on Lewis Dunk cut that angle off and I think Partey’s got to cover Pedro.’

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, was ‘amazed’ by the decision of Chris Kavanagh to show Rice the first red card of his career and insisted it changed the game.

Referee Kavanagh showed Rice a second yellow card after the England international subtly kicked away the ball from a Brighton free-kick by the corner flag to delay the restart.

Joao Pedro of Brighton & Hove Albion scores his team’s first goal past David Raya of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

No caution was given to Joel Veltman, who caught Rice in his follow through, and Arsenal failed to hold on with 10-men.

Arteta bemoaned Kavanagh’s decision and appeared to suggest Pedro, who was later cautioned, should have been given a yellow card in the 18th minute when he kicked the ball away after it had gone out for a throw.

‘I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be,” Arteta reflected.

‘In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan, he turns around, he doesn’t see the player coming and he touches the ball.

‘By law, he can make that call, but then by law he needs to make the next call, which is red card so we play 10 vs 10. This is what amazed me. At this level it’s amazing.’

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