Arsenal Charged by FA After Player Confrontation with Referee
Arsenal face an FA charge after players confronted referee Michael Oliver over Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card in their match against Wolves, which was later overturned.
Arsenal have been charged by the Football Association (FA) following an incident where players confronted referee Michael Oliver after Myles Lewis-Skelly's controversial dismissal during their 1-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Oliver issued a straight red card to Lewis-Skelly in the first half for a foul on Matt Doherty, with the referee deeming it serious foul play. Arsenal contested the decision, and the 18-year-old's three-match suspension has since been overturned.
The club has until 3 February to respond to the FA charge. In addition, police are looking into threats and abuse directed towards Oliver, as reported by Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the referees' governing body.
The FA's statement indicated that Arsenal allegedly failed to ensure their players acted in an appropriate manner following the incident.
Doherty was just outside the Wolves box as he initiated a counter-attack in the 43rd minute when he was fouled by Lewis-Skelly. The decision to send Lewis-Skelly off was further supported by Darren England, the video assistant referee (VAR).
The red card sparked outrage from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and has been a topic of debate among pundits and fans alike. Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time leading goalscorer, expressed that the sending-off was "one of the worst decisions I've seen in a long time".
