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Myles Lewis-Skelly red card, Joao Gomes second yellow card - Wolves vs Arsenal referee review

The Arsenal players protest Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card against Wolves
-Credit:Shaun Botterill/Getty Images


Riccardo Calafiori was the hero for Arsenal on Saturday afternoon as his late goal at Wolves kept up the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool. Level at 0-0 going into the final 16 minutes of the contest, the substitute contributed when it mattered most as he found the bottom corner of Jose Sa's goal with an arrowed finish.

The game could have panned out rather differently for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta's men had to play a chunk of the contest with ten men. Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off just prior to half-time for a foul on Matt Doherty just outside the Wolves box.

It was certainly a controversial decision from referee Michael Oliver and one that is still in the headlines almost 48 hours on from the incident. Managing to keep Wolves at bay and also having a couple of chances of their own with ten men, the teams would finish with ten men apiece as Joao Gomes was dismissed from the field of play in the 70th minute for a foul on Jurrien Timber.

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There were plenty of talking points to come from the match, perhaps none more so than Lewis-Skelly's red card. Here football.london takes a look at the two incidents and gives its verdict on the flash points at Molineux.

Lewis-Skelly red card

The main talking point in the contest came in the 43rd minute when Lewis-Skelly was given his marching orders for a foul on Doherty. The hosts looked set to counter at speed from an Arsenal corner and the left-back duly stuck out his right leg to bring the defender down ten yards from the Wolves box to stop him advancing upfield.

Very much a cynical challenge but albeit a tactical one, Oliver immediately went to his back pocket and sent the Arsenal defender from the field of play. It was a decision that left Arsenal raging.

FL review: Lewis-Skelly has no intention of playing the ball, which is long gone, and his aim is to foul Doherty and stop Wolves outnumbering Arsenal on the counter. Oliver has the perfect view of the incident as it happens a couple of yards in front of him.

The question is whether it is serious foul play, which VAR deemed it to be after reviewing the incident. Given the red card, the referee quite clearly believed that it was a reckless and dangerous tackle from the teenager.

It is a tactical foul from Lewis-Skelly, as has been pointed out numerous times by pundits over the course of the weekend, and these virtually every single time result in a yellow card. Given the controversial nature of the decision, it may have been best for VAR to recommend that the referee take a second look at the foul on his screen.

If he still believed it was a challenge worthy of a red card then he can stick with his initial decision. If not, Lewis-Skelly earns a reprieve and stays on the pitch.

FL verdict: Yellow card, or at the very least send Oliver to his screen to review his initial decision.

Gomes second yellow card

The other big talking point in the game came in the 70th minute as Gomes was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Timber on the edge of the Arsenal box. Controlling William Saliba's header on his chest and holding off Declan Rice, the ball got away from the Brazilian and he stretched out his right leg to try and get it under control but caught Timber's ankle with his studs.

Oliver immediately blew his whistle and sent Gomes from the field of play for two yellow cards.

FL review: There is no intention from Gomes to catch Timber on the ankle as it is purely a mistimed challenge trying to get the ball back under control. However, Timber reacts quickest to gain possession and the Wolves man is a split second too late, thus catching the Dutchman on the ankle in the process.

A still image of the challenge certainly does not look good at all and the midfielder is perhaps incredibly lucky not to have seen a straight red card for it. We have seen plenty of straight red cards for similar challenges in the past and the main talking point for Arsenal fans regarding the tackle is why Oliver didn't initially reach for his red card rather than showing Gomes a second yellow.

It may well have been different had the player not received a booking in the first half for kicking the ball away. Had the player not picked up an earlier yellow card and Oliver cautioned him for the tackle on Timber, VAR may have recommended that the official go to his screen to take another look at the challenge.

Regardless of whether it was deserving of a second yellow or straight red, the referee was right to dismiss Gomes from the field of play to leave both teams with 10 men apiece for the final 20 minutes of the match.

FL verdict: Straight red card.