Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card in Saturday’s 1-0 win away at Wolverhampton Wanderers left manager Mikel Arteta “fuming” while television pundits reacted with shock and surprise at referee Michael Oliver’s decision.
The red card was Arsenal’s fourth of the season when Lewis-Skelly was sent off for tripping Matt Doherty on the edge of the Wolves box as the home side attempted a counterattack just before halftime.
Oliver produced a straight red card, a decision upheld by the video assistant referee, with Lewis-Skelly suspended for Arsenal’s next three games.
“I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you. Because it is that obvious, I don’t think my words are going to help,” Arteta told Sky Sports after the game.
Arteta later told reporters that he did not receive an explanation for the red card but hoped it would be overturned the same way Bruno Fernandes’ red card against Tottenham Hotspur was rescinded earlier this season.
“Hopefully we don’t need to” appeal the red card, he said. “If we have to, it’s a really good precedent with what happened with Bruno this season. Hopefully.”
The Premier League said in a statement the red card was “checked and confirmed by VAR who deemed his challenge to have been serious foul play.”
But former Premier League referee Mike Dean said a yellow card would have been sufficient.
“I thought it was harsh. I’ve seen the still (image)… I just think there’s not a lot of force in it. I think it’s more of a glancing blow coming down for me. I think the VAR could have got involved,” Dean said.
GROUNDS FOR APPEAL
Dean also said Arsenal have grounds for an appeal, which, if successful, would make Lewis-Skelly available for their league games against Manchester City and Leicester City, as well as their League Cup semi-final against Newcastle United.
BBC Match of the Day host Gary Lineker described the sending-off as an “incredibly poor decision” and was baffled when Wolves’ Joao Gomes did not receive a straight red card for what seemed like a harsher foul.
Fellow pundit Alan Shearer said it was “one of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time.
“It should have been a yellow card, it is a terrible decision. There was no speed, no intensity, it was not endangering an opponent and was 90 yards from goal. So never, ever a red card,” he said.
“What worries me is there is an assistant VAR and a VAR who have seen several replays and they think it is serious foul play.”
Arsenal goal scorer Riccardo Calafiori said it was “clearly not a red card” and that the 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly was initially very upset with the decision.
“He’s really happy now that the team won and found a way to win it,” Calafiori said.
“He is very worried about what’s coming next because he’s strongly feeling that there was nothing to do with the action.”
