Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly sees red in controversial decision against Wolves
Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday was overshadowed by a contentious red card shown to defender Myles Lewis-Skelly. The decision left manager Mikel Arteta "fuming" and sparked widespread debate among pundits and fans.
The red card, Arsenal's fourth of the season, came just before halftime when Lewis-Skelly tripped Matt Doherty on the edge of the Wolves box as they launched a counterattack. Referee Michael Oliver issued a straight red card, a call upheld by VAR, resulting in a three-game suspension for the 18-year-old defender.
"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 match.
Speaking to reporters later, Arteta expressed hope that the card would be rescinded, citing Bruno Fernandes' overturned red card against Tottenham earlier this season as a precedent. "Hopefully we don't need to appeal the red card. If we have to, it's a really good precedent with what happened with Bruno this season," he added.
The Premier League defended the decision, stating it was "checked and confirmed by VAR who deemed his challenge to have been serious foul play."
However, former Premier League referee Mike Dean disagreed, stating a yellow card would have sufficed. "I thought it was harsh. I've seen the still... there's not a lot of force in it. I think it's more of a glancing blow. VAR could have stepped in," Dean said.
Grounds for Appeal
Dean suggested Arsenal have strong grounds to appeal, which, if successful, would see Lewis-Skelly available for critical fixtures, including league matches against Manchester City and Leicester City, as well as the League Cup semi-final against Newcastle United.
BBC's Gary Lineker called the decision an "incredibly poor call" and highlighted the inconsistency, noting Wolves' Joao Gomes escaped a red card for what appeared to be a more severe foul. Alan Shearer, also critical, labeled it "one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a long time," citing the lack of speed, intensity, and danger in Lewis-Skelly’s challenge.
"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," Shearer added.
Arsenal’s goal scorer Riccardo Calafiori also spoke out, calling the red card "clearly not a red." He shared that Lewis-Skelly was initially distraught but found solace in the team’s victory. "He's really happy now that the team won and found a way to win it. He is very worried about what's coming next because he strongly feels there was nothing wrong with the action," Calafiori said.
The controversy adds to an already dramatic Premier League season, as Arsenal's title ambitions remain under scrutiny amidst disciplinary challenges.
SportsLigue