Arsenal have appealed Eddie Nketiah’s red card against Leicester City.
The Gunners striker was sent off for a challenge on James Justin just four minutes after replacing Alexandre Lacazette in the second half of Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with the Foxes.
Nketiah was initially only shown a yellow card by referee Christopher Kavanagh, but the match official upgraded the punishment to a red after reviewing the incident on the pitch side VAR monitor.
Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta was infuriated by the decision, especially as Jamie Vardy had escaped punishment for kicking Shokdran Mustafi in the head during a clash just before half-time.
“With the red card, he doesn't see the player and you have to know that he is a young kid,” said Arsenal’s head coach. "But if that is a red card then Leicester have to play with 10 men after 42 minutes. That has to be a red card as well.
“If we review incidents of that type, we review them all. It has to be something equal for everybody because it changes the game completely. If Eddie is a red card, then for sure the other one is a red card."
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Nketiah stands to miss Sunday’s north London derby against Spurs through suspension, as well as the home game with Liverpool next Wednesday and the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley, but Arsenal have now launched a two-pronged appeal, both in terms of the red card and the three-game suspension.
The north London club are appealing on the grounds of wrongful decision, as well as excessive punishment. So if the first appeal gets thrown out, they are hoping to at least get Nketiah’s ban reduced.
The Football Association will make a decision by the end of the week.
Arteta revealed after Tuesday night’s draw that Nketiah had apologised to his team-mates in the changing room soon after the full-time whistle. Arsenal had been leading 1-0 at the time thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal, only for Jamie Vardy to equalise 10 minutes after the sending off.
Gunners left-back Kieran Tierney spoke after the game and felt the forward had been hard done by.
“I had a view [of the tackle], to me it looked totally accidental,” said Tierney. “Obviously I've not seen it in slow motion like the referee, I didn't get a chance but for me it's accidental and Eddie is not the kind of player who would do anything like that.”