The winner of the second half of Riccardo Calafiori ensured that Arsenal kept pace with Liverpool in the title race, when the Gunners recovered from the controversial red card of Myles Lewis-Skelly by beating Wolves with 1-0 in Molineux.
The Italian defender came with just over 15 minutes to go within the penalty area as a boost for the Gunners – after Lewis -Skelly's controversial broadcast threatened to harm their title challenge even further.
With Wolves in the break after defending a corner of Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly Matt Doherty fell down and referee Michael Oliver felt that he had grabbed the Wolves defender high on his leg with a serious mean game.
“It was clearly not a red card from the bank,” says match winner Calafiori to Sky Sports. “I saw him during the break, he was so disappointed for the team. But in the end we won. So nothing happened.”
“He was upset, but now he is happy because we have certainly won. He is a good football player, a good guy, so we help him a lot.”
“It is so clear that I leave it to you,” says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports. “I am absolutely furious. But I leave it with you, it's so clear that I think my words won't help. “
When asked whether Arsenal appeals against the exclusion, Arteta replied: “It is up to the club to decide what the best decision is. It is obvious that we may not have to do that.” [put in an appeal]. “
“I can't believe that Michael Oliver Lewis-Skelly sent there,” said Tim Sherwood of Soccer Saturday, while the VAR agreed with the call. “You can see why he was sent off the field,” Mike Dean added to Sky Sports.
CONTROVERSY! How Lewis-Skelly was sent off the field …
Havertz is missing more great opportunities when Arsenal works
The second half threatened to expose the major problems of Arsenal this season: firepower and poor discipline. Kai Havertz missed three major chances in the penalty area: two before the red card of Lewis-Skelly and one when it was 10 to 11.
On the other hand, the deviated attack by Matheus Cunha, the attacker of Arsenal, was well saved by David Raya, where the same Wolves striker was an attempt next to the corner of the corner of the resulting corner kick.
But the competition took a different turn when Joao Gomes earned a second yellow card for a tough challenge on Jurrien Timber on the edge of the Arsenal field. Wolven boss Vorror Pereira was mad on the sidelines with his midfielder and he knew why: four minutes later Arsenal got the winner.
Wolves tried to get back into the game with 10 to 10 when Raya Ait-Nouri got clear, but Raya held his attempt, while Cunha tested the goalkeeper of Arsenal remotely.
But Arsenal remained six points behind Premier League leader Liverpool, which Ipswich defeated 4-0.
Arteta sends a title race warning: this team will not stop
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
“Unbelievable. What the boys did again. The context in which we ended up shows the character and personality of the game. The courage and intelligence to play the way we want was exceptional.
'It was very clear what to do [in the second half]. Something very different and necessary with quality. No matter how consistent we did it in the second half, I am so enthusiastic about the team, how it competes in every context.
“The team will not stop. We'll continue. This team has the spirit and the will to fight against everything. They showed that again today.
“Today many things have happened, more things have happened. Yesterday we lost Mikel [Merino]We lost Martin [Odegaard] This morning. We are still going. That's what I like about the team. “
Five problems with the red card from Lewis-Skelly
Sam Blitz from Sky Sports:
One: you don't see any red cards for that. “He is 70 meters from his own goal,” said Tim Sherwood. That is the starting point. How can there be a serious common game on the edge of the penalty area of Arsenal?
And if it is seriously mean game for contact with Lewis-Skelly, then he has a fraction of a second to take on that challenge. How could the 18-year-old mean that? More common sense was needed.
Two – the VAR gave it. The serious violation was checked and confirmed by Var Darren England. See above for common sense to an official who had repetitions, SLO-MOs and time to fully assess it.
Three: The challenge of Joao Gomes was even worse. How the Wolves midfielder got yellow for a higher, more aggressive and more dangerous challenge and Lewis-Skelly got his mars orders is simply astonishing. The consistency lasted less than a half match.
Vier – Michael Oliver apparently does not like to influence games too much. That said PGMOL chef Howard Webb last season when Mateo Kovacic was a red card for Man City at Arsenal. Did he have to send Lewis-Skelly there?
Five – even more bizarre fired for Arsenal – Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were both sent off the field because they kicked the ball away – but have we seen even more? Joao Pedro's penalty kick in Brighton, despite the fact that William Saliba got the ball. Arsenal will have bizarre decisions this season and they seem to weigh on them. So it is no wonder that their fans are becoming more frustrated.
SA: Crucial moment for the red card of Gomes
Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa against Sky Sports:
“It was a difficult game. We had good chances of winning from this competition, but we didn't get them. In the end we lost and we are sad about that.”
'We have not surrendered [after Joao Gomes red card] But maybe she [Arsenal] Then had more confidence. It was a crucial decision.
“It is difficult and difficult and we have to stay positive, fight and keep it up until the end.
“Here in the Premier League all matches are tough, all matches are difficult. We have to stay positive and try to win points.”
Pereira: Result does not reflect what happened on the field
WolvenManager Vorror Pereira against Sky Sports:
“Today I think we played with quality. We were competitive, we created our opportunities. We played face to face with Arsenal. We defended the set play very well. But in the end it's football.”
“Our supporters were with us and helped us. The team tried it, I am proud of the players because they have tried everything to win the game. But in the end the result does not reflect what happened on the field.”
“Joao Gomes is a player who has given us and the club a lot. It seems that he has given me signals: I have an emotional balance, no problem. I will control myself. But in the end it is football. Football is emotion.” , and he received the second yellow card. It's a shame, but that's what he did.
“The last match, against Chelsea, I didn't like the game. What can I say about this team today? They walked a lot, they had quality with the ball against a team that exerted a lot of pressure. They were consistent in defending, trying To create opportunities with quality, but in the end we have to get hold of what we did and continue. “
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