Sports
The decision left Mikel Arteta “fuming”, pundits were baffled, while Arsenal fans were furious.
Thw Gunners may have beaten struggling Wolves 1-0 to maintain their Premier League title hopes – but it was Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card that stole the headlines.
In the 43rd minute Lewis-Skelly caught Wolves’ Matt Doherty above the ankle to break up a counter-attack on the edge of Wolves’ box – about 70 yards away from Arsenal’s goal.
Referee Michael Oliver showed the 18-year-old a straight red card, a decision which was upheld by the video assistant referee (VAR).
After the match, Arsenal manager Arteta told BBC Match of the Day the decision was “so obvious that today you don’t need my words”.
“I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you,” he said to Sky Sports.
“Because it is that obvious, I don’t think my words are going to help.”
Arsenal rallied against Wolves, who themselves went down to 10 after Joao Gomes’ second yellow, and the Gunners celebrated a 74th-minute Riccardo Calafiori winner to stay within six points of leaders Liverpool.
At an Arsenal corner, Wolves cleared their lines and looking to start a counter-attack, Doherty took the ball from the edge of the penalty area and drove forward.
Lewis-Skelly caught Doherty’s shin and then foot, bringing the defender down, a challenge which the Premier League Match Centre described on X as “serious foul play”.
Oliver quickly showed a red card, and VAR checked the call, deciding against sending the referee to the pitchside monitor.
On the Premier League’s website it says high, full and forceful contact on the ankle or above is “considered dangerous” and a “red card”.
The division’s record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, said the sending off was “one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a long time”.
“As a referee you can get it wrong on the pitch, you might see something which is incorrect,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“How on earth Darren England, the VAR, thinks that the referee has got that right and there is no need to send him to the screen.”
Shearer added on BBC Match of the Day: “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.
“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.”
Asked if Arsenal will appeal against the decision, Arteta told Sky Sports: “That’s for the club to decide what the best decision is. I think it’s that obvious, maybe we don’t even need to.”
Unless overturned, the Arsenal academy graduate will face a three-match ban, missing his side’s matches with Manchester City and Leicester City in the Premier League, and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Arsenal substitute Calafiori told Sky Sports that Lewis-Skelly was “disappointed for the team” and that “from the bench, it was clearly not a red card”.
At 18 years and 121 days, Lewis-Skelly became the third youngest player to be sent off in the Premier League, behind Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
left aggrieved following a red card.
When Leandro Trossard was given a second yellow for time-wasting against Manchester City in September, Arteta again said the decision was “so obvious” he would leave it up to the media to decide.
This season Arteta has also criticised decisions to send off Declan Rice at home to Brighton and a penalty call against William Saliba away to the Seagulls.
In 2022, referee Oliver gave Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli two yellow cards, one after the other, something which Arteta said he had never seen before.
bbcsport
A.I
Jan. 26, 2025
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