Arsenal fans were left baffled after defender Takehiro Tomiyasu was shown a second yellow card against Crystal Palace.
The Japan international was booked twice in seven minutes for the Gunners at Selhurst Park, between the 60th and 67th minutes.
He was punished for time wasting by referee David Coote, before then being adjudged to have pulled back Palace's Jordan Ayew as he raced forward.
Tomiyasu, his Arsenal team-mates and manager Mikel Arteta protested the decision, but as it was a second bookable offence, VAR was unable to intervene and overturn the call if it had deemed it necessary.In response, Arsenal fans directed their fury at the officiating, citing several other incidents that took place before and after the full-back's second yellow card.Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: "Not a foul and not a yellow."
Another said: "And they say there is supposed to be a 'higher bar' for fouls this season. Absolute joke."
A third added: "Can't wait for the apology."
A fourth fumed: "VAR can't intervene as it's a yellow. Can't appeal the one game ban as it was a second yellow. System is broken."
Some fans, though, did understand the referee's decision: "I'll be honest - can see how he was fooled. 100 per cent need to be able to overturn yellows though."
At the time of the sending off, Arsenal led 1-0 through Martin Odegaard's 54th-minute penalty.
The incident led to Arteta substituting Gabriel Martinelli for Gabriel Magalhaes, while Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko also entered the action in injury time as the Gunners looked to preserve their lead.
And they did manage to hold on, withstanding some late pressure from the hosts to secure their second win out of two Premier League games at the beginning of this season.
