'One of the worst decisions I've seen' - should Lewis-Skelly have seen red?

The decision left Mikel Arteta "fuming," pundits confused, and Arsenal fans furious.

The Gunners may have beaten struggling Wolves 1-0 to keep their Premier League title hopes alive, but it was Myles Lewis-Skelly's controversial red card that grabbed the headlines.

In the 43rd minute, Lewis-Skelly caught Wolves' Matt Doherty above the ankle to stop a counter-attack on the edge of Wolves' box, about 70 yards from Arsenal's goal.

Referee Michael Oliver showed the 18-year-old a straight red card, a decision confirmed by the video assistant referee (VAR).

After the match, Arsenal manager Arteta told BBC Match of the Day that the decision was "so obvious that today you don't need my words."

"I am absolutely fuming, but I leave it with you," he said to Sky Sports.

"Because it is that obvious, I don't think my words are going to help."

Arsenal rallied against Wolves, who also went down to 10 men after Joao Gomes received a second yellow card. The Gunners celebrated a 74th-minute winner by Riccardo Calafiori to stay within six points of leaders Liverpool. At an Arsenal corner, Wolves cleared their lines and, looking to start a counter-attack, Doherty took the ball from the edge of the penalty area and drove forward.

Lewis-Skelly caught Doherty's shin and then foot, bringing the defender down. The Premier League Match Centre described this on X as "serious foul play."

Oliver quickly showed a red card, and VAR reviewed the decision, but they did not send the referee to the pitchside monitor.

According to the Premier League's website, high, full, and forceful contact on the ankle or above is "considered dangerous" and warrants a "red card."

Alan Shearer, the division's record goalscorer, called the sending off "one of the worst decisions I've seen in a long time."

"As a referee, you can make mistakes on the pitch; you might see something incorrectly," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"How Darren England, the VAR, thinks the referee got it right and doesn't need to send him to the screen is beyond me."

Shearer added on BBC Match of the Day: "It should have been a yellow card. It was a terrible decision. There was no speed, no intensity, it wasn't endangering an opponent, and it was 90 yards from goal, so it was never, ever a red card.

"What worries me is that both an assistant VAR and a VAR saw several replays and still thought it was serious foul play."

When asked if Arsenal will appeal the decision, Arteta told Sky Sports: "That's for the club to decide. I think it's so obvious that maybe we don't even need to."

Unless the decision is overturned, the Arsenal academy graduate will face a three-match ban, missing games against Manchester City and Leicester City in the Premier League, and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Arsenal substitute Calafiori told Sky Sports that Lewis-Skelly was "disappointed for the team" and that "from the bench, it was clearly not a red card."

At 18 years and 121 days, Lewis-Skelly became the third youngest player to be sent off in the Premier League, behind Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.