Emmanuel Petit ‘sorry’ for claiming Arsenal legend was dead in on-air blunder

Emmanuel Petit has said ‘sorry’ for mistakenly claiming that Arsenal legend Pat Rice was dead in an awkward on-air blunder for Sky Sports.

Former Gunners midfielder Petit made the error while recounting his days at Highbury on Monday Night Football after Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolves.

Rice is an Arsenal icon, having played 498 games for the club from 1967 to 1980, before becoming a youth team coach and then caretaker manager.

The 75-year-old was Arsenal’s assistant manager under Arsene Wenger from 1996 to 2012, while Petit was in north London from 1997 until 2000.

‘He had some fights with Pat Rice as well, rest in peace Pat,’ Petit, who is backing Arsenal to win the top-flight tile this season, said on Sky Sports.

Presenter David Jones quickly jumped in to correct the mistake, adding: ‘I’ve got some good news, Pat Rice sends his best. He’s not actually no longer with us. He’s alive and kicking.’

Petit was left looking incredibly embarrassed as fellow football pundit Jamie Carragher laughed off the error.

‘I’m sorry!’ Petit said. ‘Sorry Pat. I’m confused. I’m so sorry Pat. Pat, I made a mistake, sorry.’

Rice helped Arsenal clinch the English top-flight title and two FA Cup trophies as a player in the 1970s and he is still a popular figure at the club.

The Northern Irishman continued his success at Arsenal after hanging up his boots, guiding the U18s team to two FA Youth Cup titles.

That saw Rice promoted to an assistant manager role in 1996 – helping the Gunners land three Premier League trophies as Wenger’s No.2 – in addition to four FA Cups.

Rice stepped down as assistant manager in 2012 and then worked as a scout for Arsenal up until 2020.

Reacting to the error on social media, football fan @ChrisPrice_86 posted: ‘Petit just said rest in peace to Pat Rice… have I missed something!?’