Arsenal will not appeal the red card William Saliba received during their 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, meaning he will miss their next clash with Premier League rivals Liverpool.
The France international was dismissed in the 30th minute of the game on the south coast, with Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert striking in the second half. the Gunners their first defeat of the 2024/25 campaign.
The cross is only because of a match sanction rather than a three-game suspension for removing Evanilson’s jersey and denying a scoring opportunity. Longer bans are reserved for acts and offenses of a more violent and reckless nature.
The ban is national, meaning Saliba is free to play for Arsenal Champions League However, clash with Shakhtar Donestsk on Tuesday The Times say that no appeal will be filed.
Speaking ahead of the European game, manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side cannot afford to keep giving their opponents the lead.
He said: “Playing with ten men, obviously there is a problem. We cannot continue to play with ten men. When you play with ten men for 65 minutes, the task becomes almost impossible.
“We have to eradicate it. What we’ve had is a lot, but I don’t know what’s a little in five years.”
Saliba’s red card was arsenalThe third dismissal of the campaign already after Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City respectively.
The north London giants received just two reds in the entire 2023/24 season, although they have also been the recipients of 18 red cards in the Premier League since Arteta took over in 2019, five ahead of nearest Everton and Wolves.
