Arteta says he is hopeful that Luiz’s red card will be overturned

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that he is hopeful David Luiz’s red card will be overturned.

The Brazilian defender was sent off in the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday. He was adjudged to have fouled Willian Jose in the box but replays suggest that the contact was accidental and that the former Chelsea defender did not make an attempt to tackle the player.

The North London club have appealed the red card and Arteta said the club are likely to have more information on the status of their appeal later today. If the red card is upheld, Luiz will miss the Gunners’ next three games in the Premier League against Aston Villa, Leeds United and Manchester City.

Arsenal will be hoping his ban is overturned so that he is available for these crucial games at a critical point in their season as they look to move up the table.

Since recovering from an illness after he and Willian came in contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus, Luiz has replaced Gabriel in the starting eleven and put in a series of impressive performances which have seen the Gunners keep three clean sheets in their last five Premier League games. 

On the appeal on David Luiz’s red card, Arteta said:

“I am very hopeful, that’s why we put the appeal in because we went through all the images and we think that the red card should be overruled. That is why we put in the appeal.”

On when the outcome will be revealed, he said:

“I don’t know how long it will take but hopefully today we will have more information. That is the latest I have from the club.”