Arsenal fans fume after Liverpool star avoids red card for same offence as Declan Rice

Dominik Szoboszlai was unable to prevent Liverpool from slipping to a shock home defeat against Nottingham Forest (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal fans were left fuming after Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai avoided a red card for an offence almost identical to the one that saw Declan Rice given his marching orders.

Already on a yellow card, the Hungary international let his frustration get the better of him moments later when he booted the ball away having been penalised for a foul on Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Rice was controversially dismissed in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton prior to the international break after he was adjudged to have wasted time and prevented Joel Veltman from taking a quick free kick.

On that occasion the England midfielder was adjudged by the Premier League’s Key Incidents Panel to have given referee Kris Kavanagh ‘no choice’ but to send him off.

Rice will miss Sunday’s north London derby as a result but Szoboszlai escaped after Michael Oliver opted against brandishing a second yellow card for Liverpool’s No.8.

‘Double standards… They don’t want Arsenal to win the league,’ wrote one disgruntled Arsenal fan on X, while another added: ‘If it’s Declan Rice is a second yellow. Try and be consistent.’

‘Like I said they’re trying everything to stop us from winning the league,’ said another Gooner. ‘This league is corrupted.’

Arsenal fans could at least console themselves with a shock 1-0 defeat for Liverpool which was secured by Hudson-Odoi’s superb goal midway through the second half.

‘As the space opened I saw a clear opening for a shot and I was delighted it went in,’ said the Forest matchwinner. ‘It’s a massive win and we know it is massive.

‘Everyone’s morale is up, we are confident going into every game. We know in our heads the mentality has to be right and we are doing that as a team. The camp is good.

‘I didn’t start but I wasn’t angry or disappointed, I am buzzing, we are all buzzing. It’s nice to get the goals but it’s just the start of the season and I can keep getting more.’

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