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According to Sky Sports, Premier League giants Arsenal have decided not to appeal against defender William Saliba's red card against Bournemouth in the Premier League (October 19). The Frenchman was sent off in the 30th minute for a last-man tackle on Evanilson, which subsequently resulted in a shock 2-0 loss for the Gunners.
Saliba's consistency and quality over the past few seasons have led many to label him one of the best centre-backs in world football. He has enjoyed a solid start to the 2024-25 campaign as well, helping his side keep five clean sheets in his 10 appearances across all competitions.
However, he was forced into a last-ditch tackle after Leandro Trossard's misplaced pass sent Evanilson clean through on goal. In the process, he was shown the first straight red card of his tenure with Arsenal.
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With the Gunners deciding against a potential appeal to overturn the suspension, Saliba will miss the all-important clash against league-leaders Liverpool on October 27. The tackle was deemed to be 'professional' and not violent or dangerous, meaning that he will be available for selection after the aforementioned game.
Saliba is the latest addition to Arsenal's growing list of high-profile absentees. Captain Martin Odegaard suffered an ankle ligament injury on international duty with Norway (September 9), which will likely keep him sidelined for a few more games.
Superstar attacker Bukayo Saka also suffered an injury while playing for England, and will likely be on the bench for the Gunners' UCL clash against Shakhtar. With a congested period of fixtures ahead, manager Mikel Arteta faces a tough test in order to keep his side alive in all competitions.
Arsenal have enjoyed the most leniency with refereeing decisions among Big Six EPL sides so far this season
According to data from Opta (via talkSPORT BET h/t Irish Independent), Arsenal have enjoyed the most refereeing tolerance among the Big Six Premier League sides in the 2024-25 campaign.
The stats show that Mikel Arteta's side have received a yellow card for every 5.39 fouls that they have committed this season. On the other end of the spectrum, title rivals Manchester City have been treated harshly by the officials, getting a booking for every 2.83 fouls.
Chelsea (2.93 fouls/booking), Manchester United (3.42 fouls/booking), Tottenham Hotspur (4.95/booking) and Liverpool (5.28 fouls/booking) have also been penalized more frequently than the Gunners. Ryan Scott-Douglas, the representative for talkSPORT BET, said (via Irish Independent):
"A lot has been made of referees' treatment of Arsenal this season, but it seems the officials are taking their side this season, whilst their title rivals see themselves punished more than any other team in the league."
Up next, Arsenal will host Shakhtar Donetsk in a UEFA Champions League fixture on October 22. Their next Premier League game is a high-stakes encounter against Liverpool on October 27, which could potentially shape the title race.
