Arsenal legend Ian Wright fumes at Myles Lewis-Skelly’s ‘joke’ red card in 1-0 win over Wolves and asks: ‘When will the Premier League bring the best refs into the so-called best league in the world?’

Ian Wright has slammed the Premier League’s standard of officiating after Arsenal received a controversial red card against Wolves on Saturday.

Referee Michael Oliver sent off 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly on the cusp of half-time for a foul on Matt Doherty, as Wolves were breaking away from an Arsenal set-piece.

It resulted in the visiting players surrounding Oliver in fury. There was initial confusion over whether the red card was due to Lewis-Skelly denying a goalscoring opportunity, despite the incident taking place 90 yards away from goal.

But the PGMOL’s Match Centre account on X confirmed that the challenge had been deemed as ‘serious foul play’, which was checked by the VAR Darren England.

Wright took to social media after the incident, describing it as a joke, and pleading that the Premier League must implement a better standard of referees if they are to be regarded as the best league in world football.

He said: ‘Can I just say, it’s a joke. Anyone that has ever played the game, and I’m not even talking Premier League – I’m talking five-a-side, Sunday league – knows it’s never a red.

The Gunners teenager was dismissed for apparent violent conduct after a foul on Matt Doherty 

Michael Oliver’s on-field decision was upheld after a review from VAR Darren England

‘Yellow card, nobody says a word. Time and time again, this level of refereeing, the decisions in the Premier League, the inconsistency, the excuses, the apologies – all of [the referees] just [want to be the] centre of attention, for me.

‘We can’t criticise too hard because where are the refs going to come from? Where are we going to get them?

‘But, I’m sorry. This is the highest level of football and we do not have the highest level of referees. When will the Premier League bring the best refs into the so-called best league in the world.

‘Because, at the moment, with this level of referees, we’re nowhere near it. Nowhere near it.’ 

Wright added in the caption of his post: ‘Whether you’ve played Sunday League or 5 a side or Premier League level you know it’s just never ever a red card.

‘They are going to try and find all sorts of angles and slow mo’s to try and justify the incompetency and inconsistency of PGMOL. Because what’s the point of the VAR if the ref did get it wrong but they won’t correct him???????’

An enraged Mikel Arteta said he was ‘fuming’ about Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card and confirmed that Arsenal will appeal the decision if it’s not automatically overturned by the FA.

Arteta said: ‘It is that clear that I leave it to you guys. I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you, because it is that obvious. I don’t think my words are going to help.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta revealed that the club will appeal the decision if it is not overturned

As it stands, Lewis-Skelly will miss three games for Arsenal and will not return until February 15

‘Hopefully we don’t need to (appeal the red card) and if we have to, it happened and it’s a really good precedent what happened with Bruno (Fernandes) this season as well. We are in a position we shouldn’t be in.’ 

If the decision is upheld, Lewis-Skelly is set to miss some huge games for the Gunners.

He will be absent for their clash with Man City at the Emirates next Sunday and the EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle three days later, a tie which Arsenal trail 2-0.

His ban will be over after Arsenal’s Premier League game at Leicester on February 15. 

England was also on VAR duty for the controversial disallowed Luis Diaz goal against Tottenham in September 2023, where he failed to overturn an incorrect offside call.

The sending off was Arsenal’s fourth in the league this season. Wolves went down to 10 men too, on 70 minutes, after Joao Gomes was red carded for a second yellow.