Arsenal will not appeal the red card William Saliba received during their 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, meaning he will miss the upcoming clash with Premier League title rivals Liverpool.
The France international was dismissed in the 30th minute of the encounter on the south coast, with Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert striking in the second half to hand the Gunners their first defeat of the 2024/25 campaign.
Saliba is only due to serve a one-match suspension rather than a three-game ban for pulling Evanilson’s shirt and denying a goalscoring opportunity. Longer bans are reserved for acts and fouls of a more violent and reckless nature.
The suspension is a domestic one, meaning Saliba is free to play in Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donestsk on Tuesday, though The Times say no appeal will be lodged.
Speaking ahead of the European fixture, manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side cannot afford to keep giving their opposition a player advantage.
He said: “Playing with ten men, obviously there is an issue. We cannot continue to play with ten men. When you play with ten men for 65 minutes, the task becomes almost impossible.
“We need to eradicate that. What we have had is a lot, but I don’t know what is little in five years.”
Saliba’s red card was Arsenal‘s 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 only received two reds in the entirety of 2023/24, though they have also been on the receiving end of 18 red cards in the Premier League since Arteta took over in 2019, five clear of closest ranked Everton and Wolves.
