Arsenal make William Saliba red card appeal decision | OneFootball

Arsenal will not appeal the red card shown to William Saliba during their 2-1 loss to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

The French centre-back was sent off in the first half for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, following a challenge on Bournemouth’s striker.

The decision by referee Robert Jones was initially to show a yellow card, but after consultation with the Liverpool-supporting Jarred Gillett on VAR, it was upgraded to a straight red.

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND: William Saliba of Arsenal leaves the pitch after receiving a red card, as Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, gestures during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Speaking after the match, Mikel Arteta appeared to confirm that Arsenal would not be appealing the decision, meaning Saliba will be suspended for next weekend’s high-profile clash against Liverpool.

When asked directly if the club intended to challenge the red card, Arteta responded, “The decision has been made, so that’s it.”

Arteta was also questioned on whether VAR should have intervened in the situation. He remained pragmatic, stating, “I don’t know, they have their own process and decided to do it that way, that’s it.”

“I don’t know, it’s a split-second decision you have to make,” Arteta then said of the challenge. “The striker is on his back, he doesn’t expect the ball, and then suddenly it’s coming his way. He’s made a decision, and that’s it. The referee has decided to give a yellow and then a red card.”

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)

Arteta also spoke on the broader impact the sending-off had on the match, which forced Arsenal to play with 10 men for over an hour. “Absolutely, we are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we had to play a game in that context, even more difficult than in the previous two that we already faced this season,” he said.

“Playing for 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level is just an impossible task, an accident waiting to happen to not get the points. I cannot fault the team for their effort, commitment, and how intelligent they played. There was a big moment at 0-0 when we had a one-on-one situation with the keeper, and we didn’t manage to score. At the other end, we made two big errors that cost us the game, unfortunately.”

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 19: David Raya of Arsenal fails to save as Justin Kluivert of AFC Bournemouth (obscured) scores his team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The defeat to Bournemouth not only cost Arsenal three points but also means they will be without one of their key defenders for the Liverpool fixture.

The Gunners have already faced several red card situations this season, a fact that Arteta acknowledged. “There are things that we have discussed in relation to certain topics,” he said.

“What happens today is almost a very unpredictable thing to happen. The winger plays the ball to your centre-back in the air one touch, and there’s a challenge there, 35 metres from goal. It’s very difficult to plan for it, but certainly, we need to play with 11 against 11 if we want to be in the position we want to be.”

Saliba, who is a crucial part of Arsenal’s backline, will be eligible to play in Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Shakhtar Donetsk, as the suspension applies only to domestic matches.

However, his absence against Liverpool will be a significant blow to Arteta’s side, who are already dealing with a string of injuries to key players.

Reflecting on the need for small margins and the importance of the basics, Arteta defended Saliba, saying, “Obviously, they are the best intentions, and Wilo has never done anything like this, and he doesn’t do it even on purpose. What happened on the second goal as well, it happened unfortunately, and we couldn’t turn it around, which is very unlikely when it happens, especially that often and for the third time this season.”

He added that they would have to “accept it, move on, and have that pain” for the upcoming fixtures.