Arsenal were reduced to ten men in the first half of Saturday’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers when young left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly received a straight red card.
Lewis-Skelly, who was making his return from injury, cynically fouled Matt Doherty on the edge of the Wolves penalty area as the hosts looked to launch a fast counter-attack. Referee Michael Oliver wasted no time in issuing a red card, a decision that surprised many.
VAR chose not to intervene, leaving fans puzzled as to why a foul so far from goal was considered worthy of a red card.
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“The referee’s decision to issue a red card for Lewis-Skelly was reviewed and upheld by VAR, who classified the challenge as serious foul play,” a statement from the Premier League Match Centre explained.
Former referee Mike Dean, speaking on Sky Sports, supported the decision, pointing out that Lewis-Skelly had caught Doherty high on the leg. “You can see from the still image why the referee made his decision,” Dean explained. “His studs went down the inside of Doherty’s leg, and that’s why he was sent off.”
As a result, Lewis-Skelly will now serve a domestic suspension, leaving Mikel Arteta with a significant challenge ahead of next weekend’s clash with Manchester City.
Riccardo Calafiori, who returned from a muscle injury to start on the bench, is expected to be the first choice to replace Lewis-Skelly, with Oleksandr Zinchenko also a potential option to feature.