"No wonder it gets criticized" - Alan Shearer slams VAR after controversial red card to Myles Lewis-Skelly in Arsenal win over Wolves

Alan Shearer has blasted VAR official Darren England after Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card vs Wolverhampton. He believes that the on-field referee should have been sent to the monitor as it was a mistake.

Speaking on BBC Radio Live, Shearer claimed that it was fine for the referee to get it wrong as he needed to make a split-second decision. However, he pointed out that VAR needs to ensure that the mistake is corrected and that England chose not to send Michael Oliver to the screen.

Shearer said via OneFootball:

“As a referee you can get it wrong on the pitch, you might see something which is incorrect. How on earth Darren England, the VAR, thinks that the referee has got that right and there is no need to send him to the screen. One of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time. I just cannot see and work out what VAR is thinking going along with Michael Oliver’s decision. No wonder it gets criticized by so many people.”

Premier League's official matchday account stated that the VAR checked the red card and believed that it was the right decision. They claimed that it was serious foul play and wrote on X:

"The referee’s call of a red card for Lewis-Skelly was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed his challenge to have been serious foul play."

Arsenal went on to win the match 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Riccardo Calafiori. Wolverhampton were also down to 10 men for the last 20 minutes after Joao Gomes got sent off.

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Former Premier League star hits out at VAR after Arsenal red card

Former Tottenham star Jamie O'Hara was also critical of VAR after the red card to Myles Lewis-Skelly. He believes that the Arsenal man should have been booked but not sent off in the game and said on talkSPORT:

"Honestly, I've watched the replay and I've seen it in slo-mo. It's almost like he (Michael Oliver) couldn't wait to get the red card out. It was unbelievable what I saw. For VAR to look at it and agree with him, it is absolutely disgraceful. In every replay you watch, you can see Lewis-Skelly sticks his foot out, he wants to take a booking for the team. Every footballer has done it, everyone. It's not serious foul play, it's a professional play. You take one for the team, you take a yellow and you move on."

Arsenal stay six points adrift of Liverpool and are second in the table. They are now three points clear of Nottingham Forest, who were thrashed 5-0 by AFC Bournemouth.