Published: 25 September, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENAL defender Gabriel has seen the red card that he picked up during Saturday’s heated clash at Chelsea overturned following an appeal. 

The Brazilian centre-back was dismissed by referee Mike Dean for violent conduct during the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, after locking horns with Blues striker Diego Costa. 

The match boiled over when Costa appeared to put his hands in Laurent Koscielny’s face, an incident for which the Chelsea hitman has since received a three-match ban. 

In the fallout, Gabriel was given his marching orders, but Arsenal’s claim of wrongful dismissal has been upheld following an FA hearing, and as a result the player’s three-match suspension has been withdrawn with immediate effect. 

The news might come as a surprise for manager Arsene Wenger, who admitted after the game that Gabriel “deserved” to be sent off, and that he was more concerned by the immediate lack of action directed at Costa.

“If you look well at the pictures, what Costa does to Koscielny before he pushes him down, he hits him in the face. He always gets away with it,” he said. 

“I don’t understand Dean’s decision at all. Not on the sending off. Why does Diego Costa stay on the pitch? I don’t deny Gabriel deserves to be sent off, he deserves it. He has not to react at all. But you want the referee to make the right decisions.”