Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta did not mince his words following the controversial red card shown to Myles Lewis-Skelly during their 1-0 victory over Wolves.
The young midfielder was sent off by referee Michael Oliver for what was deemed a ‘serious foul play’ on Matt Doherty, a decision upheld by VAR despite widespread criticism.
The dismissal overshadowed Riccardo Calafiori’s second-half strike, which kept Arsenal firmly in the Premier League title race.
Speaking after the match, Arteta described the decision as so egregious that it spoke for itself: “It is that clear that I leave it to you guys. 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.”
Lewis-Skelly’s foul occurred on the edge of Wolves’ penalty area and was widely expected to result in a yellow card. The teenager, along with his Arsenal teammates, appeared stunned when Oliver brandished a straight red. VAR official Darren England reviewed the decision but upheld it, labeling the challenge as serious foul play.
Former England captain Alan Shearer was among the critics, describing it as: “One of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a long time.”
Shearer also questioned VAR’s involvement, adding: “I cannot see and work out what VAR is thinking going along with Michael Oliver’s decision. No wonder it gets criticized so often.”
Arteta hinted that Arsenal might appeal the three-match ban set to follow the red card but drew parallels to a similar case earlier this season.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes had a red card overturned after a VAR review, a precedent that Arteta believes should apply to Lewis-Skelly’s situation: “Hopefully we don’t need to [appeal]. If we have to, there is a really good precedent with what happened with Bruno this season as well.”
While former referee Mike Dean attempted to defend Oliver’s decision, it did little to quell criticism from pundits and fans alike. Dean argued that on-pitch referees can make mistakes, but the VAR’s decision to uphold the call only added fuel to the fire.
The win at Molineux keeps Arsenal in the thick of the title race, but the potential loss of Lewis-Skelly for three matches could prove costly in their pursuit of silverware. Riccardo Calafiori’s winning goal was a moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy game, but it was Arteta’s fiery reaction to the red card that stole the headlines.
As Arsenal look to their next match, all eyes will be on whether the Premier League opts to overturn the contentious decision.