Former referee Peter Walton has delivered an explanation behind David Luiz's red card for Arsenal against Wolves.
With virtually the final kick of the first-half at Molineux Stadium, the defender - starting alongside Rob Holding - conceded a penalty for tripping Willian Jose in the area.
To rub salt into the wounds for Arsenal, David Luiz was shown a straight red card.
However, replays showed that the Brazilian did not intentionally trip the Wolves striker and this point was raised in the BT Sports studio by Glenn Hoddle.
"David Luiz is trying desperately not to make a tackle, not to make contact, but the contact is made," Hoddle said. "It’s a goal scoring opportunity that he’s taken away.
"No, I don’t think he did (mean to touch him) and I think if you’re trying to attempt to make a tackle, you'll probably get a yellow but at the end of the day, he’s stepping out of the way."
Despite admitting that Luiz didn't mean to foul Jose, Walton has explained why the red card decision was correct.
"Intent doesn’t come into the law because you can’t read what’s in a player’s mind," Walton said. "So, you’re going by his actions and his actions there were rather careless.
"In terms of bringing the player down, yes, he doesn’t make an attempt on the ball - that’s the important thing - had he have made an attempt on the ball, it would be a yellow card plus a penalty kick.
"But because he hasn’t made an attempt on the ball, and the ball is not within playing distance, that becomes a red card and Craig Pawson has no opportunity to give a yellow.
"It has to be a red card and a penalty kick.
"If I can just add: that’s the third time I think David Luiz has been sent off for a similar offence, so you say players should learn and understand, maybe so.”
