Tuesday’s briefing: Arsenal pay the fine and Kane doubtful for Celtic clash

Arsenal were hit with a fine for their reaction to Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card last month.

Chloe Kelly is back in the England squad after Arsenal team-mate Beth Mead pulled out injured.

And Harry Kane is an injury doubt for Bayern Munich ahead of their Champions League showdown with Celtic.

Red mist costs Arsenal

Arsenal were fined £65,000 by the Football Association after their players confronted referee Michael Oliver in the 1-0 victory over Wolves last month.

Lewis-Skelly was controversially sent off for a challenge on Matt Doherty which prompted the Arsenal players to surround Oliver. The red card was subsequently overturned following an appeal.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was infuriated by the decision, which sparked debate between pundits as to whether it should have been a sending-off or not.

The FA also released the written reasons for the fine, with the aggravating factors including: “When the red card was shown, only two Arsenal players were in relatively close proximity to the referee, with none in his immediate vicinity.

“A number of players travelled some distance to engage with the referee following the sending-off. From the footage one can clearly see the intensity of the protests made by the Arsenal players. There were, at times, nine Arsenal players in very close proximity to the referee.

“The caution administered by the referee does not end the misconduct, as would be expected.

“The duration of the misconduct, the close proximity of the players to the referee, the number of players involved and the failure to desist/disperse when the referee indicates for them to do so all render this a serious matter and serve to aggravate the misconduct.

“Arsenal ought to be credited for admitting the charge. The red card issued being overturned on appeal does not justify the reaction of Arsenal’s players surrounding the match referee and affords no mitigation.”

Hero Kelly back with Lionesses

Kelly was called up to the England squad to replace her injured Gunners team-mate Mead.

The forward is one of two replacements ahead of the Lionesses’ Nations League fixtures against Portugal and Spain, with Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker also joining up in place of Lotte Wubben-Moy, who has withdrawn.

Kelly, on loan at Arsenal from Manchester City, made the first appearance of her second spell with the Gunners as a substitute in their 5-0 victory over local rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

The call-up is the latest chapter in a dramatic few months for the 27-year-old, who boss Sarina Wiegman last week said was left out of her latest England camp due to a lack of playing time this season.

Kelly, who scored the winner in the final against Germany to secure England their first major silverware at the 2022 Euros, went public in January about frustrations with her lack of playing time and a situation at parent club City she felt had taken a toll on her mental health.

Pas master sends Leeds top

Pascal Struijk’s stoppage-time header snatched a 2-1 win for Leeds against Sky Bet Championship promotion rivals Sunderland at Elland Road.

Struijk headed the winner in the fifth minute of added time having also headed a late equaliser after Wilson Isidor’s opener had given the Black Cats a deserved half-time lead.

Daniel Farke’s side extended their unbeaten league run to 15 matches and climbed back to the top of the table, 10 points clear of Sunderland, who remain fourth after their eight-match unbeaten league run was halted.

What’s on today?

Celtic head to Bayern Munich clinging on to their Champions League place by a thread.

The Hoops are 2-1 down from last week’s first leg and have it all to do against the Bundesliga giants.

But England captain Kane, who scored at Parkhead, could be missing after he suffered a facial injury towards the end of Saturday’s goalless draw at Bayer Leverkusen.

In the Championship, 14th-placed Millwall travel to Preston, who are one place beneath them on goal difference.