Arsenal red card: ‘Michael Oliver not punished as Howard Webb scared of him’
Arsenal did not have their red card against Wolves automatically overturned because Michael Oliver’s bosses “are all scared of him”, according to Richard Keys.
The former Sky Sports presenter wrote in his blog on 27 January that he thinks Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card against Wolves (25 January) was the wrong decision.
The Gunners youngster was sent off as he attempted to nullify a Wolves counter-attack following an Arsenal corner by tripping Matt Doherty.
Oliver has been subjected to abuse online after his decision, Keith Hackett exclusively told Football Insider that the criticism he has received has been “unacceptable”.
Keys thinks that Howard Webb is exacerbating the issue by backing Oliver in his decision, rather than standing him down from refereeing in the Premier League for a couple of weeks.
Speaking on his blog, Keys said: “What did Michael Oliver think was going to happen when he whipped that red card out of his pocket at Molineux and wrongly sent off Lewis-Skelly? Yes – wrongly. I’ve rarely known the football world be so joined-up when it comes to criticising a refs decision.
“Oh. Hold on. Perhaps there was one other occasion – when Howard Webb ducked sending Nigel de Jong off in the 2010 World Cup final. Webb was the only man who thought he got that one right. The rest of us didn’t. All of us.
“He’s currently the only other man that thinks Oliver got it right at Molineux.
“Instead of admitting Oliver was wrong and standing him down for a couple of weeks – he poured fuel on the fire and went the other way. The socials reacted with understandable anger. Consequences you see. For every action there is a reaction.
“Oliver is a law unto himself. For some reason his colleagues – and his bosses – are all scared of him.”
Arsenal must retain focus in their hunt for Premier League title
Football Insider Verdict
Despite what Arsenal fans may tell you, the Gunners are not the subject of a ploy by PGMOL to ruin their title chances this season.
The North London side will likely appeal the red card, as Keith Hackett believes it to be only worthy of a yellow, and could see the decision overturned.
Either way, there was surely no corruption involved, Michael Oliver did what professional footballers do week in and week out, he made a mistake.
The speed of the Premier League is breathtaking, and part of its immense global draw, but it also makes it a really difficult thing to officiate.
As Doherty broke away, Lewis-Skelly does make contact with his studs onto the top of the former Tottenham defenders foot.
That does not make it worth of a red card, but it does make it understandable as to why Oliver made that split-second decision.
The red card is more of an indictment on VAR, which was brought in to support referees with their on-pitch decisions. Instead, it has become a liability and now leaves referees more isolated than ever.
Perhaps now, the FA will look at the last few seasons, and realise that there needs to be more impartiality in the VAR rooms, and to not have referees who are fearful of undermining their colleagues.
Arsenal were unfortunate on Saturday with the decision made against them, but fans of the club must be aware that all Premier League teams currently suffer because of the flaws that exist with VAR, not just them.
In other news, Stefan Borson has dropped a huge Arsenal transfer claim.
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