Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arsenal will have to appeal defender’s controversial red card against Wolves | Football News

Arsenal will have to appeal Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card against Wolves.

Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red by referee Michael Oliver at Molineux, with VAR sticking with the on-field decision. The PGMOL’s position on the incident is the challenge is extremely late, the point of contact is high and video evidence supports that conclusion.

After the match Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “That’s for the club to decide what is the best decision. It’s that obvious that maybe we don’t even need to [put in an appeal].

“He’s really happy now that the team won and found a way to win it. He is very worried about what’s coming next because he’s strongly feeling that there was nothing to do with the action.”

However, it is Sky Sports News’ understanding that Arsenal will have to appeal the sending off for the FA to consider overturning it.

PGMOL does not deal with the appeals process after the match, and it is up to the FA to decide whether the decision should be overturned once an appeal has been lodged by a club.

According to the FA’s disciplinary process, if a club believes a straight red card is an error, it must submit a claim of “wrongful dismissal” to the regulatory commission.

This claim must be submitted by 1pm on the first working day after the game (Monday January 27 in this case) and evidence must be submitted two working days after the match.

If an appeal is lodged, the commission will hear the case, taking into consideration any written or video evidence and make a decision on whether the red card was an error or not.

Arsenal have been contacted for comment by Sky Sports News.

Oliver will be officiating Ipswich vs Southampton on Saturday February 1 and the rearranged Merseyside derby on February 12.

‘It’s not the worst decision but it’s not a red’

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher’s view on Lewis-Skelly’s red card:

“I think it is breaking up a promising attack. That’s my opinion and other referees see it differently.

“Lewis-Skelly realises (Matt) Doherty is away and his priority is to stop him quickly, and he flicks out.

“It’s not the worst decision in the world like people say.

“Referee Michael Oliver feels, and still feels, that he goes down his Achilles. If that’s what he thinks, referees are told now that a tackle with studs down the Achilles has to be a red card.

“I don’t think he does. It happens very quickly.

“But for me, I think it is a yellow card for stopping a promising attack. Is the challenge with brutality? Is it with malice? Is it gaining intensity and speed? I think not.”

Warnock: VAR frightened to overturn Oliver’s decisions

Stephen Warnock on Sky Sports News:

“I don’t think it’s a red – I also don’t think it’s the worst decision we’ve ever seen in football. There’s been a lot made of this over the weekend and some people are going very over the top on it.

“I think it’s the wrong decision. I think it’s a flick of the ankle more than anything. It’s a cynical foul, a tactical foul, which he knows he has to make because of Wolves breaking, but there’s no malice in it.

“Yes, he catches him with his studs ever so slightly, but it’s not a stomp down on him.

“My biggest thing is why has it not gone to VAR or why have VAR not asked Michael Oliver to go to the screen and look at the situation and talk about it? For me, the team have let the referee down.”

“We’re still getting this hierarchy talk.

“Michael Oliver’s our number one referee; the VAR booth don’t want to overturn his decision because they are frightened he’s the main guy and our top referee and I think there’s still that element of that talk going on.

“That’s still an issue a lot of people were mentioning this weekend, rightly or wrongly.”