Mikel Arteta has railed against the threats and abuse aimed at referee Michael Oliver following the controversial red card shown to Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly last weekend, saying that such hatred must be “eradicated” from the game.

Arsenal discovered on Tuesday evening that Lewis-Skelly’s three-game suspension had been overturned after the club’s appeal against his straight dismissal at Wolves proved successful. The aftershocks of the incident are still being felt, however, as police are investigating the numerous threats aimed towards Oliver.

Some of the messages directed at Oliver have included death threats, prompting referees’ body PGMOL to say: “No official should be subject to any form of abuse, let alone the abhorrent attacks aimed at Michael and his family.”

Asked about the abuse directed towards Oliver on Tuesday night, ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match against Girona, Arteta said: “The same as every time I talk about that topic, regardless of whether it is a player or a coach, a referee – it does not matter.

“We have to really work harder to try to eradicate that part of the game that brings nothing but bad stuff, bad taste and it makes people’s lives more difficult. Let’s get it out.

“We are always putting a lot of emphasis on where football is going in the next five, 10 years. On the rules, and all that sort of thing.

‘We must create an environment that’s healthier, that’s nicer’

“But I think one of the most important things we can do is create an environment that’s much better at a social level: one that’s healthier, that’s nicer, in which we reward things that are not only winning, that when people make mistakes they have the chance to fix it.

“We shouldn’t be here with this hatred, these things we see, because they affect everyone and in the end, they take away the joy of this sport.”

The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that an independent regulatory commission had upheld Arsenal’s claim of wrongful dismissal in relation to Lewis-Skelly’s foul on Wolves defender Matt Doherty. The teenager’s three-match ban has therefore been lifted.

“He was sleeping on the plane when I looked back and I got the news, so I haven’t spoken to him, but I imagine there is a big smile on his face,” said Arteta of Lewis-Skelly. “I was working and he was in the back row, so I didn’t [wake him up].”

Arsenal’s meeting with Girona in the Champions League comes as they are also locked in battle with the Spanish side for the signature of Norwegian teenager Sverre Nypan.

Telegraph Sport reported earlier this month that Arsenal were among the clubs interested in signing the creative midfielder, who is considered one of Europe’s most promising young players and will cost around £10 million.

Girona are also pushing hard to sign the 18-year-old and hope to convince him to move to Spain to continue his development rather than at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

The Spanish club believe that Nypan would immediately be part of their first-team squad, which might not be the case were he to join Arsenal. Their argument is that he is suited to La Liga and their style of play, but may have to wait for his chance to play in the Premier League.

Girona’s interest is intriguing as they are part of the City Football Group (CFG) which also includes Manchester City. A quirk of Arsenal’s fixture list is that Arteta’s side meet Girona before their league game with City this weekend, meaning that they face back-to-back matches against CFG clubs while also competing with the group for Nypan’s signature.

The player attended City’s Premier League fixture at home to Chelsea last Saturday, where he was a guest in the executive box of fellow Norwegian Erling Haaland.

Accompanying Nypan was Rafaela Pimenta, the agent who represents both him and Haaland and recently brokered the latter’s extraordinary new nine-and-a-half year deal at the Etihad. Nypan’s father, Arne, was also at the game and later posted a photograph on Instagram of the visit to City.

Sources have insisted that no decision has been made on Nypan’s future, as the player, his parents and representatives are visiting and talking to all the clubs who are interested in signing him. He has since spoken to Arsenal, while Aston Villa are also in contention.

Rodgers confirms Tierney’s Celtic return

Meanwhile, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Kieran Tierney will move from Arsenal to the Scottish club this summer, if not this month. Tierney is out of contract at the end of this season and has therefore been able to agree a pre-contract agreement to return to his boyhood club as a free agent.

It remains to be seen, though, whether the Scotland international will be able to leave Arsenal during this January window, as there is also interest from Europe — including Borussia Dortmund — in Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko.

“Ideally it would [happen in January] but, at this moment, he’s still an Arsenal player,” said Rodgers of Tierney. “I think everyone is agreed that it will definitely take place in the summer. If we can do it beforehand, then great.”