There were a number of contentious incidents during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
Arsenal got their Premier League campaign off to a strong start with a deserved win over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium.
Goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka secured the three points for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The Gunners weren’t necessarily at their brilliant best, and David Raya was definitely needed, but they still dominated large swathes of the match.
After the break, the game became a feistier affair. Referee Jarred Gillett certainly had his work cut out, and had to make calls on a number of incidents which could have easily transformed the match.
Yerson Mosquera of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Kai Havertz of Arsenal clash during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wa…
Dermot Gallagher reviews Kai Havertz incident vs Wolves
In the latter stages of the match, Havertz and Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera got tangled up in the visitors’ defensive third.
Arsenal’s German forward went down first, with the centre-back falling over him.
As Mosquera reached out to break his fall, he instead took hold of Havertz’s throat, and appeared to maintain the grip longer than necessary.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher provided his insight into the offence, for which Mosquera escaped any kind of punishment from Gillett.
Gallagher said: “I didn’t think it would be a red, only he knows how much force. He’s got to put his hand somewhere but does he have to put it there? I’m not convinced. I think it’s aggressive but not violent for me. The referee sees it different to them two being stood up. It was probably the right decision.”
Meanwhile, and perhaps predictably, Arsenal fans were furious that Havertz did not receive the justice that they felt he deserved.
Arsenal will feel aggrieved by referee in Wolves clash
Arsenal fans’ frustrations with Gillett’s decision are understandable, and will be shared by Arteta.
Mosquera certainly didn’t need to do what he did, and was very fortunate to avoid any kind of booking. A red card, though, perhaps would have been overly harsh.
The Gunners also picked up a couple of bookings themselves, as Saka and Gabriel Jesus were both pulled up for moments of petulance, as the former kicked the ball away in frustration and the latter dealt out a shove. Arteta will need to keep a lid on his players, as Arsenal can’t afford to rack up unnecessary suspensions this season.
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