Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly was substituted 34 minutes into Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 first leg fixture with PSV after ‘getting away with one’ in the first half.
The 18-year-old received a yellow card in the 24th minute for pulling back Luuk De Jong, and just minutes later tripped Richard Ledezma down the PSV right.
PSV players and fans called out for a second booking from Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano, but the official kept his cards in his pockets and allowed the teenager to continue playing.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta wasn’t willing to take a chance however, even until half time. He withdrew his player with 34 minutes on the clock after Mikel Merino had scored to make it 3-0 to the Gunners.
Lewis-Skelly quickly made his way off the pitch, greeted by jeers from the home fans in Eindhoven but high-fives from his team-mates. He was replaced by Riccardo Calafiori.
The red would have been Lewis-Skelly’s third in a little over a month, with him being given his marching orders in the Gunners’ win over Wolves on January 25 – which was later rescinded – and in the defeat by West Ham on February 22.
Myles Lewis-Skelly narrowly avoided a red card in Arsenal’s clash with PSV on Tuesday night
The defender was substituted just 34 minutes into the game when on a yellow card and giving away another foul
Lewis-Skelly missed the clash with Nottingham Forest after being sent off in West Ham defeat
Alan Shearer, speaking on commentary of Amazon Prime’s coverage, said: ‘Bit of a risky situation when he’s just been given a yellow card a minute ago. I’m petty sure if hadn’t been given one yellow card then that would certainly be one.’
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, meanwhile, added: ‘The referee has got to judge if that’s a careless challenge or a reckless challenge. It’s not a promising attack because the ball is going out of play anyway.
‘What the referee’s judged is that it’s just a careless challenge. He’s gone for the ball, he’s late. If that happens in the midfield, it probably wouldn’t be a yellow card. He’s just been cautioned earlier. If he hadn’t been cautioned, like Alan said, he certainly would have got a caution, but that certainly isn’t a second yellow card – it doesn’t meet all the criteria.’
Though his red against Wolves was overturned after an appeal, the 18-year-old was adjudged to have with denied a potential goal-scoring opportunity as he fouled Mohammed Kudus on the half-way line against West Ham.
The Hammers winger dispossessed Lewis-Skelly and had a clear path to goal in front of him, with David Raya way off his line.
Lewis-Skelly made a reckless lunge, initially receiving a yellow card for his transgression.
But, after a short VAR review, the teenager was sent off for the second time in Arsenal’s last four Premier League fixtures.
Arteta had the luxury of being able to take the star off during the PSV game, with his side 3-0 up, though Noa Lang pulled one back shortly after the substitution. The Gunners struck early in the second half, however, through Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard.
