Arsenal red card appeal: Myles Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal rescinded after FA admits error.
Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly is free to play after the Football Association overturned his controversial red card from Saturday’s 1-0 win against Wolves. The 18-year-old was sent off for a foul on Matt Doherty, but after an appeal, an independent regulatory commission ruled the decision was incorrect.
The decision to dismiss Lewis-Skelly, made by referee Michael Oliver and backed by VAR official Darren England, was widely condemned. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, visibly furious after the match, called it “so obvious” that the wrong decision had been made.
“It’s good that this was resolved quickly,” Arteta said on Tuesday night ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Girona. “The club put forward all the evidence, and it was clear the decision was wrong. Now we have more options in the squad.”
The incident occurred in the 43rd minute when Lewis-Skelly challenged Doherty just outside the Wolves box. Oliver immediately brandished a red card for serious foul play, a call that was upheld by VAR without a pitchside review. Wolves later went down to 10 men themselves when Joao Gomes received a second yellow in the 70th minute, before Riccardo Calafiori’s goal secured Arsenal’s victory.
The backlash was swift. Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer slammed the decision as “one of the worst I’ve seen in a long time,” arguing that there was no excessive force or intent to injure. Former referee Mike Dean, however, suggested that a still image of the challenge made it look worse than it was. Pat Nevin and Nedum Onuoha also questioned the red card, with Onuoha predicting it would be overturned.
Meanwhile, the fallout extended beyond footballing debates. Referees’ body PGMOL confirmed that police are investigating threats and abuse directed at Oliver following the match. Arteta condemned the harassment, stating, “This kind of abuse damages our game.”
The FA’s decision to rescind the ban means Lewis-Skelly will be available for Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures, providing a boost for Arteta’s squad. However, the controversy raises fresh concerns about VAR’s consistency, with many questioning why the referee wasn’t advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
As Arsenal prepare for their next challenges, the overturned ban brings relief to the club, but it leaves lingering doubts over Premier League officiating standards.
