Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly’s three-match ban – imposed for a red card at Wolves on Saturday – has been overturned.
The Gunners appealed against the decision to send off the 18-year-old and an independent regulatory commission upheld their claim of wrongful dismissal, the Football Association confirmed.
Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card after fouling Matt Doherty, with referee Michael Oliver deeming it serious foul play.
Doherty was just outside the Wolves box as he mounted a counter-attack in the 43rd minute. The decision was initially upheld by Darren England, who was the video assistant referee (VAR).
Wolves later went down to 10 men after Joao Gomes’ second yellow on 70 minutes, before Riccardo Calafiori’s 74th-minute strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 win.
After Saturday’s game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told BBC Match of the Day 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.”
Police have since been investigating “threats and abuse” directed at referee Oliver, said referees’ body PGMOL.
‘One of the worst decisions’ and ‘clearly not a red’
Lewis-Skelly caught Doherty’s shin and then foot, and Oliver quickly showed a red card, with VAR deciding against sending the referee to the pitchside monitor.
On the Premier League’s website it says high, full and forceful contact on the ankle or above is “considered dangerous” and a “red card”.
Alan Shearer, the competition’s record goalscorer, said the sending off was “one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a long time”.
“As a referee you can get it wrong on the pitch, you might see something which is incorrect,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Shearer added on BBC Match of the Day: “It should have been a yellow card, it is a terrible decision. There was no speed, no intensity, it was not endangering an opponent and was 90 yards from goal, so never, ever a red card.
“What worries me is there is an assistant VAR and a VAR who have seen several replays and they think it is serious foul play.”
Arsenal substitute Calafiori told Sky Sports that “from the bench, it was clearly not a red card”.
