The Premier League have explained why Michael Oliver’s decision to issue a harsh red card to Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly was given the green light by VAR. The teenager was dismissed for serious foul play during the first half.
Lewis-Skelly caught Matt Doherty with a late challenge on the edge of Wolves’ penalty area as the Midlands side looked to counter-attack. It was a clear foul, preventing the hosts from breaking forwards, and may onlookers expected Oliver to issue a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
The Arsenal left-back hurried back into position ready to defend the free-kick. However, he was left stunned when he turned around to see Oliver brandishing a red card in his direction.
There remained the possibility that VAR would overrule Oliver’s decision. However, it was deemed that the official had not made a clear and obvious error.
A statement issued by the Premier League Match Centre X account read: “The referee’s call of a red card for Lewis-Skelly was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed his challenge to have been serious foul play.”
Law 12 of the Laws of the Game defines serious foul play as: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality.
“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
It is debatable whether Lewis-Skelly’s tackle met the criteria for serious foul play.
The 18-year-old’s red card, the first of his career, was Arsenal’s fourth of the Premier League campaign. Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba have all previously been dismissed. Those incidents proved costly for the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta’s losing winning none of the games in which they have seen red.
Arteta rued his side’s inability to consistently keep 11 players on the pitch. Speaking in October, he urged his players to stamp out their ill-discipline.
The Spaniard said: “Playing with 10 men, always there is an issue. The truth is, when you analyse it, three very different actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different.
“Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men, especially at this level. We need to eradicate that, it’s clear. The reasons and how – it doesn’t matter. We have to focus and it has to happen.”
