WHAT HAPPENED? Arsenal have been fined £65,000 for their players’ furious reaction to Oliver’s decision to award Lewis-Skelly a red card for a foul on Matt Doherty, with nine of them remonstrating with the referee

WHAT HAPPENED? Arsenal have been fined £65,000 for their players’ furious reaction to Oliver’s decision to award Lewis-Skelly a red card for a foul on Matt Doherty, with nine of them remonstrating with the referee. The VAR Darren England upheld the decision, but the 18-year-old’s ban was eventually overturned.

Arsenal fined for reaction to Lewis-Skelly red card

Arsenal players confront referee Michael Oliver

Image caption,Police investigated threats made on social media towards referee Michael Oliver after the incident

1

Arsenal have been fined £65,000 for failing to control their players after Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off during their Premier League win at Wolves.

The Football Association (FA) charged Arsenal with failing to ensure their players “did not behave in an improper manner,” at Molineux on 25 January.

The club admitted the charge before an independent regulatory commission imposed the sanction.

Arsenal players surrounded referee Michael Oliver in the 43rd minute of their 1-0 victory after he showed Lewis-Skelly a straight red card for a foul on Matt Doherty.

Video assistant referee (VAR) Darren England upheld Oliver’s decision that Lewis-Skelly committed serious foul play.

The Gunners appealed against the decision and the 18-year-old’s three-match ban was subsequently overturned.

After the match referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said police were investigating “threats and abuse” directed at Oliver and his family on social media.