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Mike Dean shares whether Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly actually deserved a red card vs West Ham
As Arsenal were trailing 1-0 against West Ham United, things went from bad to worse for Mikel Arteta after substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card.
Lewis-Skelly, who was sent off in a 1-0 win against Wolves as well tackled Mohammed Kudus to stop him from having a clear run at goal after initially losing the ball.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was well out of his box and had Kudus not been stopped in his tracks, he had an empty goal to aim towards.
Perhaps the only contentious aspect of the decision was that the Ghanaian international was quite far away from goal, which is perhaps why Myles Lewis-Skelly was initially shown just a yellow card.
But the decision was reversed within minutes and Lewis-Skelly’s cameo was cut short.
Mikel Arteta would have been frustrated about the Englishman’s sending off coupled with the fact that his Gunners side failed to even take home a point after limping to a shock defeat against West Ham.
Mike Dean says Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card during West Ham vs Arsenal was right call
Considering Liverpool had drawn 2-2 against Aston Villa, Arsenal had the chance to reduce the gap between both sides and continue putting pressure on them in the title race.
However, it was Jarrod Bowen’s goal just before half-time is what separated both sides.
When quizzed about Lewis-Skelly’s red card against West Ham, former Premier League referee Mike Dean claimed that the decision to send him off was the correct call as the youngster stopped a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Dean said on Sky Sports: “100 per cent.”
“Even though its on the halfway [line], that’s the only doubt with the referee because its so far from goal but he’s only got the goalkeeper probably 20 yards in front of him and 40 yards behind him so for me, it’s definitely a goalscoring opportunity for me, 100 per cent, it’s going to be a red card.”
Lewis-Skelly has been lauded this season and while the 18-year-old looks like a top talent, his latest sending off will serve as a lesson to the Arsenal defender to be more mindful of making such challenges.
How many games will Lewis-Skelly miss for Arsenal now?
The teenager’s red card was handed to him because he denied a clear goalscoring opportunity rather than his sending off being a case of violent conduct.
As a result, Lewis-Skelly will now be handed a one-match ban over a three-match suspension.
As Arsenal are set to face Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the versatile left-back will not be available for selection.
Mikel Arteta could start Riccardo Calafiori against Forest once again.
But Calafiori defended poorly for Bowen’s goal, giving Aaron Wan-Bissaka all the space and time in the world to pick out the Englishman with an inch-perfect cross.
Arteta could also perhaps give Oleksandr Zinchenko a rare start, who came off the bench against West Ham alongside Lewis-Skelly.