‘Arsenal told to appeal fine after Michael Oliver’s red card on Myles Lewis-Skelly’
Arsenal must face the consequences for their player’s reaction to Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card against Wolves, according to Simon Jordan.
The 18-year-old was sent off, after attempting to nullify a quick counter-attack from Wolves, by tripping Matt Doherty. Michael Oliver was subjected to abuse online by Arsenal fans, despite their team winning 1-0.
Arsenal got the red card shown to Lewis-Skelly overturned on appeal, but the Gunners were also fined £65,000 by the FA, for the reaction by the players on the pitch to Oliver’s decision.
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Crystal Palace chairman, Jordan, gave his view on whether Arsenal should appeal that fine as well in light of the sending off and suspension being rescinded, saying (11.56am): “Let Arsenal appeal it. If they feel so strongly about the fact that their player’s behaviour was justified.”
Jim White: “Should Arsenal still be fined sixty five grand, that should still stay?”
Jordan: “Well let them appeal it. If Arsenal don’t like the fine let them appeal it.”
White: “Would you appeal it?”
Jordan: “I would find it difficult to justify the behaviour of my players.”
Danny Murphy: “Even though there was an injustice?”
Jordan: “Life is full of injustices, it’s about how you react to them. If you’re suggesting that the injustice that you feel you’re entitled to react to, is for your players to behave in a certain way, then I suspect that is probably not right.
“It’s human nature, but it comes with a consequence.”
FA needs to find a punishment for referee abuse after Arsenal incident
Football Insider Verdict
A £65,000 is unlikely to scare players into behaving correctly on the pitch any time soon, and the FA is undoubtedly aware of that fact.
For context, that number is £15,000 higher than one weeks wages for Neto, who is Arsenal’s lowest earner in the senior squad (aside from youth teamers Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly).
It is an insignificant punishment that sends a message to teams, and players, that abusing a referee will only ever earn you a slap on the wrist.
It is written into footballing law, by the International Football Association Board, that only captain’s are allowed to approach the referee, to prevent players mobbing the referee, and that any player who fails to comply may be shown a yellow card.
However that rule is rarely, if ever, implemented, and with that failing the FA continues to allow their referees to be subjected to on-pitch bullying.
Arsenal injuries likely cost them a Premier League title
Following Lewis-Skelly’s red card, the Gunners have won both their Premier League games, closing the gap to Liverpool from nine points, to seven.
However, Kai Havertz is now set to miss the rest of the season, having suffered a hamstring tear during a mid-season break to Dubai.
| Premier League standing | Games played | Points |
| 1. Liverpool | 25 | 60 |
| 2. Arsenal | 25 | 53 |
| 3. Nottingham Forest | 25 | 47 |
| 4. Man City | 25 | 44 |
Bukayo Saka suffered a potentially season-ending injury in December, and Gabriel Jesus is unlikely to return for Arsenal this campaign, after an ACL injury.
Whilst the Gunners have closed the gap, they will be relying on a Liverpool collapse, and finding a solution to their striker problem, if they have any chance of claiming their first Premier League title since 2004.