Mikel Arteta will serve a sideline ban when Southampton host Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season. The Spaniard was shown his third yellow card of the campaign during the Gunners' clash against Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Shortly after the Magpies were awarded a throw-in, Arteta passed a ball onto the pitch. The Arsenal manager was adjudged to have delayed the restart by Simon Hooper, the on-field referee, so he was given a caution.
Having picked up his third booking of the season, he must now serve a one-match ban. Arteta will not be permitted on the sidelines when Southampton welcome the north Londoners to St. Mary's Stadium on Sunday, May 25.
Ironically, Arteta warned Myles Lewis-Skelly about his discipline earlier this term. Speaking to reporters following Arsenal's 7-1 thrashing of PSG Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League, he told the teenager to 'learn his lesson' and avoid becoming a 'liability'.
Myles Lewis-Skelly reacts after receiving a red card following a VAR review during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium
Myles Lewis-Skelly reacts after receiving a red card following a VAR review during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium (Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
On Lewis-Skelly, who was booked moments before a late lunge and was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card, Arteta said: "I think it was quite clear that we had a liability there with the yellow card and the next action so it wasn't the moment to take any risk.
"We have learned from that experience managing the game for so long, especially with how important this competition is so a lesson to learn for him for sure. We will support and help him.
"But the line is really thin in this sport and he needs to understand that. He is very intelligent, he is very demanding of himself. Straight away his reaction was like that, he is a perfectionist, he has got a great environment around him. And he is here to learn as well."
William Saliba and Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal interact after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium on October 01, 2024
Myles Lewis-Skelly and William Saliba after Arsenal's clash against PSG in October (Image: Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
In October 2024, Arteta had a similar message for William Saliba, who was sent off in a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. His dismissal followed red cards for Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard earlier in the season.
"Playing with 10 men always is an issue," said Arteta. "The trust is, when you analyse it, three different very actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different.
"Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men at this level. We need to eradicate that, it's clear. The reasons, how; it doesn't matter. We have to focus."
The defeat to Bournemouth was the first of the Premier League campaign for Arsenal. Saliba went on to miss the Gunners' trip to Anfield, which they drew 2-2.
This is a developing news story that will be updated with relevant information as we get it. More to follow...
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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