Neither Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain nor Kieran Gibbs will be suspended for Arsenal's match against Swansea on Tuesday. The FA handed down their decision in response to an appeal filed by Arsenal after referee Andre Marriner sent off Gibbs for Oxlade-Chamberlain's handball in the Gunners' 6-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs will both play vs. Swansea
Arsenal will have both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs at their disposal against Swansea.
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An independent commission overturned Gibbs’ red card on account of mistaken identity. He never handled the ball and was the victim of Marriner’s mistake, clearing him to play on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Oxlade-Chamberlain was not shown a red card, even if he should have been, and will not be suspended as a result.
Arsenal were already down 2-0 at the time of Oxlade-Chamberlain's handball, but things got especially ugly after Marriner sent off Gibbs. Chelsea struck for four more goals to hand Arsene Wenger one of his worst defeats as a manager, although that could hardly be blamed on Marriner because although he misidentified who committed the red card offense, the Gunners would have still been down to 10 men had he correctly sent off Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Marriner came under fire for his mistake, as he should have, but he will still referee this weekend. He could have been sat down for the weekend as punishment for his error, or he could have refused assignment, but neither happened so he will referee Southampton vs. Newcastle on Saturday.
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