For the fourth consecutive match, Arsenal found themselves on the wrong end of a controversial refereeing decision, as Fulham's Sasa Lukic escaped a second yellow card during Saturday's Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners cruised to a commanding victory, securing three vital points and bolstering their goal difference while managing player minutes ahead of a crucial midweek semi-final second leg. Yet the scoreline could have been even more emphatic had referee Jarred Gillett taken decisive action in the 66th minute.

Already on a yellow card, Lukic cynically pulled down Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly after the young midfielder had danced past him with a clever dribble. It was a clear tactical foul with no intention of playing the ball, denying Arsenal a promising attacking opportunity through midfield. In most circumstances, that's a textbook second yellow card and subsequent red.

But Gillett appeared to hesitate, checking the identity of the offender before waving away Arsenal's appeals. The decision left fans frustrated, knowing 24 minutes against 10 men would have been prime time to pile on more goals.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern for Arsenal. In midweek, Atletico Madrid's David Hancko avoided a red card for a DOGSO (denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity) foul on Viktor Gyokeres, despite making no attempt to play the ball. Hancko later received a yellow card for dissent, but the initial offense went unpunished beyond the penalty.

Manager Mikel Arteta had already voiced concerns after recent matches against Newcastle United and Manchester City, where Nick Pope and Abdukodir Khusanov respectively escaped potential red cards for similar DOGSO fouls. "The trajectory, where the ball is, there's no keeper there. If that were to happen the other way around, it's a red card," Arteta noted pointedly.

For Arsenal, these marginal calls are becoming a frustrating theme. While the team continues to perform well, the sense that opponents are getting away with clear offenses is hard to shake—and for a side chasing silverware, every decision matters.