ARSENAL PLAYERS FUME OVER RED CARD

ARSENAL players have been left fuming and fans have slammed “the worst decision ever” after Myles Lewis-Skelly was surprisingly sent off.

The 18-year-old was given a red card for a foul on Wolves star Matt Doherty after 43 minutes.

The hosts had just defended a Gunners corner when they looked to break away on the counter-attack.

Doherty sprinted away with the ball and was 90 yards from the Arsenal goal when he was cynically tripped by Lewis-Skelly.

Most expected a yellow card to be given, but he was instead given a red by referee Michael Oliver.

Leandro Trossard and Gabriel led the complaints, sprinting up to the official to protest.

They were then joined by a fuming William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, who all shouted and waved their arms in frustration.

Following a VAR check, the refs decided to stick with the on-field decision and Lewis-Skelly trudged off the pitch.

He looked perplexed as headed down the tunnel and argued with the fourth official on his way.

Manager Mikel Arteta also looked displeased and pointed to his head, encouraging his players not to lose their tempers.

The Premier League released a statement explaining the red card, which 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.”

BBC host Mark Chapman labelled the decision “baffling and nonsensical from supposedly one of our best referees.”

Journalist Henry Winter added: “If that trip is considered serious foul play then there will be a torrent of red cards every game. I’ve re-watched it eight times now and it’s a trip and a yellow. Ridiculous decision.”

Arsenal fans also took aim, with one saying: “I don’t say this lightly, but I think that red card for Lewis-Skelly is the worst decision I’ve ever witnessed at a football stadium.”

A second wrote: “This is an absolute shocker.”

A third commented: “Game is gone. A disgrace.”

Some had even stronger feelings, with another supporter writing: “Enough is enough. It’s bias. It’s corruption.”

In the second-half, things were evened up when Wolves also went down to ten-men as Joao Gomes picked up a second yellow card.

Arsenal went on to win the game 1-0 thanks to a strike from Riccardo Calafiori as Arteta’s side kept six points off Liverpool at the top of the table.

Speaking after full-time, boss Arteta admitted he was “fuming” over the red card that sees the youngster miss the next three games.

He said: “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.

“I think it is that obvious that we don’t need any comments today and hopefully the right thing will happen after today.

“Hopefully we don’t need to (appeal) and, if we have [to], it happened and it’s a really good precedent what happened with Bruno this season as well.

“So, hopefully, okay we were in a position we shouldn’t be in. At least, let’s be in a position that we should be in for the next few weeks and allow that player to continue to do his job.” —Sun.