Arsenal have won their appeal against Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card at Wolves. The Football Association said an “independent regulatory commission has upheld the claim of wrongful dismissal” and removed his three-match ban.
Lewis-Skelly, 18, became the third-youngest player dismissed in Premier League history when shown a straight red card by Michael Oliver in the first half of Arsenal’s 1-0 win for taking down Matt Doherty in his own half. The decision was met with disbelief by pundits, with Alan Shearer calling it “one of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time”.
Arsenal’s game at home to Manchester City on Sunday will not be officiated by Oliver, who is regarded as one of the world’s top officials but has faced threats and abuse since the sending-off. The 39-year-old’s home is reportedly under police guard after threats towards him and his family, which have been condemned by his employer, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
Quick Guide
How do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?
Show
- Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for ‘The Guardian’.
- If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.
- In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
- Turn on sport notifications.
Oliver will officiate the Ipswich v Southampton match on Saturday. Before that, he will be in charge for the Champions League match between Barcelona and Atalanta on Wednesday night. Arsenal travel to Girona.
Lewis-Skelly’s red card was reviewed and upheld by the VAR Darren England, who on Saturday will referee the match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.
after newsletter promotion
The Referees’ Association chairman, Paul Field, has said that, in his view, former player pundits are the biggest contributors to the social media “pile-ons” affecting his organisation’s members.
