Premier League: FA charge Arsenal over Myles Lewis-Skelly red card reaction

The Football Association (FA) have charged Arsenal with failing to control their players after they reacted angrily to Myles Lewis-Skelly’s erroneously displayed red card against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday. According to the FA, Arsenal players “surrounded” referee Michael Oliver and acted “in an improper manner.”

Arsenal have until February 3 to respond. Lewis-Skelly was sent off for what Oliver and the VAR deemed major foul play after a poorly timed tackle on Wolves’ defender Matt Doherty.

The charge comes just days after the FA overturned Lewis-Skelly’s three-match sentence after an appeal from Arsenal. This is the third time this season that a player has won an appeal against a red card in the Premier League, despite VAR being used as a safety net.

“The referee had made an obvious error in sending off Lewis-Skelly for the challenge that he had made,” the independent commission said.

Oliver has now been facing significant abuse on social media, prompting authorities to launch an inquiry. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after the game that he was “absolutely fuming” with Oliver’s decision, but when asked about his reaction days later, he made it plain that the club does not tolerate profanity against officials.

“For everyone in football. It should not be ­permitted. We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out,” he said.

“We’re always putting a lot of emphasis on evolving, on where football is going in the next five, 10 years, on the rules, and all that sort of thing. But one of the most important things we can do to evolve 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 make amends.

“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 reason for it – which is to enjoy ourselves, have good moments. We are all talking about it, but no one seems to be moving strongly enough and bringing people with them to get that out of the game, because it’s just unacceptable.”

Arsenal won the game 1-0, putting them six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.