A contentious red card for Declan Rice early in the second half overshadowed the match, which concluded with a 1-1 draw.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring in the first half with a skillful lob over the advancing goalkeeper, following a pass from Bukayo Saka. The team appeared to be in control until Rice was sent off for two yellow cards, the second being issued for time-wasting as he obstructed a quick restart.
Shortly after Rice’s dismissal, Brighton capitalized on their numerical advantage, equalizing in the 60th minute through Joao Pedro. Although Havertz had a chance to secure a win during a counterattack, the team ultimately had to settle for just one point.
In the early stages, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka set the tone with a close link-up. Odegaard floated a ball over for Saka, who struggled to connect powerfully with his volley. Ben White then made a solid strike from outside the box, which was deflected away by Lewis Dunk, with appeals for handball dismissed by the referee.
A beautiful curling cross from Leandro Trossard created another opportunity, as he found Odegaard in space, but the latter couldn’t generate enough force in his shot. Brighton’s first real chance came around the half-hour mark when Havertz poorly directed a headed clearance, allowing Kaoru Mitoma a chance to volley just wide.
The breakthrough came unexpectedly when Jurrien Timber won the ball and launched it forward. Saka managed to win the header, which fell into Havertz’s path. The German took the opportunity, skillfully lifting the ball from outside the area past Bart Verbruggen into the net. This marked Havertz’s 18th goal involvement in his last 21 Premier League matches and his fifth goal in five games at the Emirates Stadium.
The second half began with a deflected shot from Rice, but soon after, he was at the center of attention again. Following a foul by the corner flag, Rice moved the ball away before Joel Veltman could take the free kick, resulting in his second yellow card and a red card from referee Chris Kavanagh. This not only left the team with ten men but also means Rice will miss the upcoming north London derby after the international break.
Within 15 minutes of Rice’s sending off, Brighton found an equalizer. Goalkeeper David Raya made a strong save from Yankuba Minteh, but Pedro was on hand to score from the rebound.
Mikel Arteta made tactical adjustments by substituting Riccardo Calafiori for Trossard and moving Timber into a central defensive role.
As the match progressed, the momentum shifted dramatically, with the referee struggling to regain control. Despite the pressure, Havertz had a notable breakaway chance with a low shot that was saved by Verbruggen, and Saka’s follow-up was blocked.
Despite late efforts from both sides, they settled for a draw, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season.
Looking ahead, the players will join their national teams for the first international break of the season, returning for the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, September 15.