A Tense Moment Between Arteta and the Referee

After Arsenal’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wolves, Mikel Arteta was seen in a heated exchange with referee Michael Oliver.

The game was marred by yet another controversial red card for the Gunners, leaving both fans and the team in disbelief.

The Red Card Incident

The drama unfolded just before halftime when 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off for a foul on Matt Doherty as Wolves launched a counterattack.

The red card instantly sparked outrage, with Wolves players surrounding Oliver in protest.

There was confusion in the stadium over whether the red card was for denying a goal-scoring opportunity, despite the foul happening 90 yards away from Arsenal’s goal.

The PGMOL’s Match Centre later confirmed on X that the red card was for ‘serious foul play,’ a decision that had been reviewed by VAR, overseen by Darren England.

This was Arsenal’s fourth red card of the season, and the decision left everyone puzzled, questioning how it could be anything more than a yellow card offense.

Arteta’s Frustration

At full-time, a fan captured Arteta having a tense word with Oliver.

The manager paused, shot the referee a frustrated look, and then turned away to celebrate with his team.

Despite the tension, Arteta was clearly relieved that the decision didn’t cost Arsenal the three points.

However, he wasn’t ready to let it go.

In his post-match comments, Arteta made it clear how furious he was about the red card.

He suggested Arsenal would appeal the decision if the FA didn’t overturn it themselves.

“I am absolutely fuming, but I leave it with you,” he said.

“It is that obvious.

I don’t think my words are going to help.”

Looking Ahead

Arteta also mentioned the possibility of an appeal, referencing Bruno Fernandes’ overturned red card earlier in the season after Manchester United’s appeal was successful.

“Hopefully we don’t need to (appeal the red card),” Arteta added, “but if we have to, it happened and it’s a really good precedent with Bruno (Fernandes) this season as well.”

Despite the off-field drama, Arteta remained proud of his team’s performance.

He acknowledged the special circumstances of the season, with key players like Mikel Merino and Martin Ødegaard missing, and facing a tough opponent battling relegation.

He praised the resilience shown by his squad, even amid these challenges.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn