January 25th 2025.
Ian Wright couldn't believe his eyes when Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver during Arsenal's match against Wolves. The former Arsenal player expressed his frustration with the state of officiating in the Premier League, as Lewis-Skelly became the third youngest player to be sent off in the history of the league. The 18-year-old was dismissed in the first half after bringing down Matt Doherty in his own half.
Many pundits, including Alan Shearer, were shocked by the decision and Shearer even went as far as calling it "one of the worst decisions" he has ever seen. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was too angry to comment on the incident, but he hopes that the decision will be overturned, just like Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes was let off after receiving a red card earlier in the season. "I am absolutely fuming, but I leave it with you," Arteta said. "I think it's so obvious that we don't need any comment today and hopefully the right thing will happen. Hopefully, we won't need to appeal, but if we have to, there is a good precedent from what happened with Bruno earlier this season."
It is highly likely that Arsenal will appeal Lewis-Skelly's red card in the hopes of having it rescinded. Arteta wants to make sure that the young player can continue doing his job for the next few weeks. "OK, we were in a position that we shouldn't be in. Let's at least be in a position that we should be in for the next few weeks and allow that player to continue to do his job," Arteta said.
This is not the first time that Arsenal have been on the receiving end of controversial decisions this season. Club legend Ian Wright believes that the standard of officiating in the Premier League needs to be addressed urgently. "It's a joke," he expressed on Instagram. "Anyone who has ever played the game, even at the lowest levels, knows that it was never a red card. It should have been a yellow card and nobody would have said a word. The inconsistency, excuses, and apologies from referees have become the center of attention for me."
Wright acknowledges the difficulty in criticizing referees, as there needs to be a supply of officials for the league. However, he believes that the Premier League should bring in the best referees to match the status of the league. "At the moment, with this level of refereeing, we're nowhere near it," he stated. "When will the Premier League bring in the best referees for the so-called best league in the world? We need the highest level of referees for the highest level of football."
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