Arsenal receive new referee red card verdict after Bukayo Saka incident vs Ipswich

Ipswich defender Leif Davis was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Bukayo Saka during Arsenal’s 4–0 win at Portman Road.

In the 32nd minute, Davis launched into a challenge that saw him plant his studs on the back of Saka’s achilles — after the Arsenal winger had already released the ball.

Saka was visibly in pain after the challenge but soldiered on and was eventually brought off just over 10 minutes into half-time. He was then seen with an ice pack on his leg at full-time which had Gunners fans worried. Arteta admitted initial concern when Saka went down, but later played down fears of a serious injury.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna also spoke on the incident and said Davis would never have intended to injure Saka, but he understands why his player was shown a red card. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher coincides with the The Tractor Boys' boss.

He said on Sky Sports' show Ref Watch: "I agree with Kieran McKenna, I don’t think it would be to hurt him, I think he just gets it badly wrong, and I think it is a red card because you can’t make a tackle like that in his achilles with your studs.

"What I did like was Chris Kavanagh just replayed it in his mind, he didn’t close his options, he gave himself thinking time and brought a red card out which is correct.”

Gallagher was alongside former England international Sue Smith who added: "It’s 100% a red card, the ball had gone, he lunges in, I think when you go down the back of someone’s achilles like that, it’s always going to be a red card.

"Obviously Kieran Mckenna knows him and knows his character so he’ll know that he’s not meaning to be malicious there, but when the ball has gone. You can understand, sometimes when you go to do a slide tackle and completely mistime it and take someone out, I just don’t like these challenges as I think you can seriously hurt someone. Red card.”

Ex-Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock joined in and said: "I think he’s trying to go through the player’s legs to try and pinch the ball, gets it wrong.

"I don’t think it’s malicious at all from the player. I’m still in the camp of the orange card, I think it’s borderline, and I understand what everyone is saying, but I feel like he almost slides into it and gets the timing of it wrong.

"I think what he’s trying to do is let Bukayo Saka know he’s there, in the case of if you are going to turn at any point during the rest of the game this is how close I’m going to be to you. But, he gets it wrong.”