The Premier League on Saturday released a statement addressing Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card against Wolves.
Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card in the first half of Arsenal’s 1-0 win on Saturday.
The 18-year-old tackled Matt Doherty as he raced away on a counter-attack.
Referee Michael Oliver brandished a straight red card, and the decision was upheld by VAR.
The Premier League has now confirmed the red card was correct, as Lewis-Skelly’s lunge constituted “serious foul play.”
The decision was heavily criticised on social media, with a number of Arsenal fans left baffled.
However, the Premier League Match Centre has now explained why the player was dismissed.
The statement read: “The referee’s call of a red card for Lewis-Skelly was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed his challenge to have been serious foul play.”
The decision was branded as “baffling” by new Match of the Day host Mark Chapman, who said: “Baffling and nonsensical from supposedly one of our best referees.”
Former Premier League official Mike Dean, however, defended Oliver’s call, saying on Sky Sports News: “I’ve got a still image: if you see it, you can see why the referee has decided what he’s done. He’s put his studs down the inside of his leg.”
