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Mikel Arteta deliver a scathing verdict on referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send off Myles Lewis-Skelly during Arsenal’s 1-0 triumph over Wolves.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta did not hold back in his criticism of the decision to send off Myles Lewis-Skelly during their 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. The young defender was shown a straight red card by referee Michael Oliver for a high challenge on Matt Doherty in the 43rd minute, a decision that left Arteta fuming.
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The incident occurred deep inside Arsenal’s own half, and while many expected a yellow card for the challenge, Oliver deemed it serious foul play and brandished a red card. The decision was upheld by VAR, much to the disbelief of Arteta and his team. Former England captain Alan Shearer called it “one of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time”.
In his post-match press conference, Arteta expressed his frustration, stating, “I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you. I think it is that obvious that we don’t need any comment today and hopefully the right thing will happen”. He emphasized that the decision was so clear-cut that it didn’t require further discussion, and he hoped the Premier League would see the incident similarly to the one involving Bruno Fernandes earlier in the season, which was overturned.
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When asked if Arsenal would appeal the red card, Arteta left the decision to the club but hinted at the possibility, saying, “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”. He referenced the precedent set by Fernandes’ overturned red card, expressing hope that Lewis-Skelly’s ban would be lifted.
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Despite the setback, Arsenal managed to secure the win thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s second-half goal. Arteta praised his team’s resilience and intelligence in managing the game emotionally, especially given the circumstances. The victory keeps Arsenal within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, maintaining their title hopes alive.
