Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Arsenal. Premier League.
MolineuxAttendance31,503.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
- J Gomes (sent off 70th minute)
Arsenal 1
- M Lewis-Skelly (sent off 43rd minute)
- R Calafiori (74th minute)
Wolves 0-1 Arsenal: Riccardo Calafiori scores winner as Gunners recover from Myles Lewis-Skelly's controversial red card
Report and free match highlights as Arsenal beat Wolves 1-0 in a game where both teams had red cards; Myles Lewis-Skelly was controversially sent off for serious foul play on Matt Doherty; Joao Gomes was then sent off for two yellow cards, four minutes before Riccardo Calafiori's winner
Saturday 25 January 2025 20:34, UK
Riccardo Calafiori's second-half winner made sure Arsenal kept pace with Liverpool in the title race, as the Gunners recovered from Myles Lewis-Skelly's controversial red card to beat Wolves 1-0 at Molineux.
The Italian defender tucked home from inside the box with just over 15 minutes to go in a boost for the Gunners - after Lewis-Skelly's contentious sending off threatened to damage their title challenge even further.
With Wolves on the break after defending an Arsenal corner, Lewis-Skelly felled Matt Doherty and referee Michael Oliver felt he had caught the Wolves defender high on his leg in serious foul play.
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"From the bench, it was clearly not a red card," match-winner Calafiori told Sky Sports. "I saw him at half-time he was so disappointed for the team. But at the end, we won. So nothing happened.
"He was upset, but now he's happy because we won for sure. He's a good footballer, a good guy, so we help him a lot."
"It is that clear that I will leave it to you guys," added Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports. "I am absolutely fuming. But I will leave it with you, it is that obvious that I don't think my words are going to help."
Asked if Arsenal will appeal the sending off, Arteta replied: "That's for the club to decide what is the best decision. It's that obvious that maybe we don't even need to [put in an appeal]."
"I cannot believe Michael Oliver has sent Lewis-Skelly off there," said Soccer Saturday's Tim Sherwood, as VAR agreed with the call. "You can see why he's been sent off," added Mike Dean on Sky Sports.
CONTROVERSY! How Lewis-Skelly was sent off...
Havertz misses more big chances as Arsenal labour
The second half threatened to expose Arsenal's big problems this season - firepower and ill-discipline. Kai Havertz missed three big chances in the penalty box - two before Lewis-Skelly's red card and one when it was 10 vs 11.
At the other end, Arsenal-linked forward Matheus Cunha's deflected strike was well-saved by David Raya, with the same Wolves striker miskicking an effort wide from the resulting corner.
But the game had another twist as Joao Gomes earned himself a second yellow card for a high challenge on Jurrien Timber at the edge of the Arsenal box. Wolves boss Vitor Pereira was livid on the touchline with his midfielder and he knew why - four minutes later, Arsenal got their winner.
Wolves tried to get back into the game with 10 vs 10 as Raya Ait-Nouri ran clear but Raya held his effort, while Cunha tested the Arsenal goalkeeper from distance.
But Arsenal held on to stay six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who beat Ipswich 4-0.
Arteta sends title race warning: This team will not stop
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
"Incredible. What the boys did again. The context that we were thrown into, it shows the character and the personality of the game. The courage and intelligence to play the way we want to was exceptional.
"It was very clear what we had to do [in the second half]. Something very different and needed with quality. How consistently we did it through the second half, I'm so thrilled about the team, how it competes in any context.
"The team are not going to stop. We are going to keep going. This team has got the spirit and will to fight against anything. They showed that again today.
"A lot of things happened today, more things happened. Yesterday we lost Mikel [Merino], we lost Martin [Odegaard] this morning. We are still going. That is what I love about the team."
Five issues with the Lewis-Skelly red card
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:
One - you don't see red cards for that. "He's 70 yards from his own goal," said Tim Sherwood. That is the starting point. How can it be serious foul play on the edge of Wolves' box?
And if it's serious foul play for the contact on Doherty, then he has split seconds to make that challenge. How can the 18-year-old have intended that? More common sense was needed.
Two - VAR gave it. The serious foul play call was checked and confirmed by VAR Darren England. See above for the common sense point to an official who had replays, slo-mos and time to fully assess it.
Three - Joao Gomes' challenge was arguably worse. How the Wolves midfielder got a yellow for a seemingly higher, more aggressive and more dangerous challenge and Lewis-Skelly got his marching orders is simply baffling. The consistency did not even last half a match.
Four - Michael Oliver doesn't like to "impact games negatively by overreacting" apparently. That's what PGMOL chief Howard Webb said last season when Mateo Kovacic avoided a red card for Man City at Arsenal. Did he need to send Lewis-Skelly off there?
Five - More freak dismissals for Arsenal - Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were both sent off for kicking the ball away - but have we seen any since? Joao Pedro's penalty at Brighton despite William Saliba seemingly getting the ball. Arsenal are getting freak decisions this season and it seems to be heavily weighted against them - so it is little wonder their fans are becoming increasingly frustrated.
Sa: Gomes red card crucial moment
Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa to Sky Sports:
"It was a tough game. We had good opportunities to take a win from this game but we didn't take them. And in the end, we lost and we are sad about that.
"We did not surrender [after Joao Gomes red card] but maybe they [Arsenal] were more confident after that. It was a crucial decision.
"It's difficult and hard and we have to keep being positive and fighting and seeing it through to the end.
"Here in the Premier League, all the games are tough, all the games are difficult. We have to continue being positive trying to win points."
Pereira: result doesn't reflect what happened on pitch
Wolves manager Vitor Pereira to Sky Sports:
"Today I think we played with quality. We were competitive, we created our chances. We played eye to eye with Arsenal. We defended very well the set plays. But at the end, it's football.
"Our supporters they were with us, helping us. The team tried, I'm proud of the players because they tried everything to win the game. But in the end, the result doesn't reflect what happened on the pitch.
"Joao Gomes is a player that gave to us and a lot to the club. It seems that he gave me signs that: I have emotional balance, no problem. I will control myself. But in the end, it's football. Football is emotion, and he got the second yellow card. It's a pity, but that's what he did.
"The last game, against Chelsea, I didn't like the game. Today, what can I say about this team? They ran a lot, they had quality with the ball against a team that presses a lot. They were consistent when defending, trying to create chances with quality. But in the end, we need to get in our hands what we did well and keep going."
