Are Arsenal now considering William Saliba appeal after Liverpool-Chelsea game? | OneFootball

After Arsenal‘s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth, it seemed clear that the Gunners had decided not to appeal the red card shown to William Saliba.

However, recent comments by Mikel Arteta suggest that the club may now be reconsidering, especially in light of a similar incident in the Liverpool v Chelsea game on Sunday.

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND: Match Referee, Robert Jones shows a yellow card to William Saliba of Arsenal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk, Arteta hinted at the possibility of appealing Saliba’s red card, which was given for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

In the press conference, when asked if an appeal was on the table, Arteta responded, “I leave that more to the club to understand the circumstances. They will have to decide it.”

This shift in tone comes after the match between Liverpool and Chelsea on Sunday, where an almost identical foul led to only a yellow card. Arsenal fans and pundits alike have pointed out the inconsistency in refereeing decisions, this being just the latest example.

Howard Webb listens to an earpiece during Arsenal’s match against Bournemouth (Image via Sky Sports)

Saliba’s sending-off was decisive. Referee Robert Jones upgraded his original yellow card to a red after consultation with Liverpool-supporting VAR official Jarred Gillett. The decision forced Arsenal to play with 10 men for over an hour as they crashed to their first defeat of the season.

Arteta, at the time, appeared resigned to accepting the referee’s ruling, stating after the match, “The decision has been made, so that’s it.”

Yet, the precedent set by similar incidents in the Premier League may have reignited Arsenal’s hope of reversing the decision, especially with Saliba set to miss the game against Liverpool.

The inconsistency in officiating is a growing frustration among clubs, players, and supporters, and Arsenal may feel they have grounds for an appeal after witnessing the decision in the Liverpool-Chelsea clash where VAR stayed out of things, as it should have done during the Arsenal game.

Either way, the Gunners will need to decide quickly whether they will proceed with an appeal.