Arsenal have had their appeal over David Luiz’s red card against Wolves turned down, despite referee Mark Clattenburg claiming it was the wrong decision.
Former referee and PGMOL boss Keith Hackett initially reported that Arsenal appealed David Luiz’s red card against Wolves on Tuesday. Simon Collings of the Evening Standard then confirmed the same information.
On Thursday afternoon it was announced that the FA had turned down Arsenal’s appeal, despite overturning the Southampton red received the same night:
The Football Association have confirmed to us that the red card given to David Luiz on Tuesday against Wolves will stand.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 4, 2021
#SaintsFC’s @janbednarek_ will be available for the trip to #NUFC, after the club was successful in its appeal against the red card he received at #MUFC.
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 4, 2021
Why Arsenal’s red card appeal was denied but Southampton’s wasn’t
The Arsenal defender made slight contact with Willian Jose to concede a penalty just before half-time, but was shocked to see a red card brandished for the incident. The foul was no more than a tangle of legs (if that!) and seemed entirely unintentional.
The only reason there was even any contact was that Jose was gearing up for a shot. He adjusted his feet to take it, and it was this adjustment that caused the issue.
Mark Clattenburg writes for the Daily Mail that Luiz was incorrectly sent off, and it should have been a yellow card. He argues that Luiz was making a genuine attempt to catch up with Jose to play the ball, not meaning to bring him down in the process.
Clattenburg added that the law was meant to see players sent off only if they’d deliberately fouled an opponent to deny a clear scoring opportunity. That clearly wasn’t the case here, a penalty and a yellow would’ve been enough.
However, it seems that the reason Arsenal’s red was upheld was because there was no attempt to win the ball.
All this talk of ‘accidental contact’ made the papers are they talked of common sense making it’s way into the game. Sadly, it seems that it was never actually added to the rules.
