Referee Michael Oliver has come under the spotlight after yesterday’s controversial game between Manchester City and Arsenal, most notably for that red card for Leandro Trossard just before half time.
Oliver has been heavily criticised by many fans, even some neutrals, for sending Trossard off for kicking the ball away, when there was barely any time between him blowing his whistle and the Arsenal winger committing the offence.
After just five games, this is already the second time Arsenal have had a player shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away, with Declan Rice also being sent off in the recent draw at home to Brighton.
Given that Oliver was also the ref that let Mateo Kovacic off for a nasty challenge at the Emirates Stadium last season, loads of Gooners are furious that he was once again given the chance to officiate a game between these two clubs…
This was last season. Same teams. Same referee. Two tackles deserving a straight red card, but Howard Webb said Michael Oliver didn't send Kovacic off cos he didn't want to overreact. No letter of the law. It was up to the referee not to overreact.
Lol. Amazing https://t.co/pX9v5SkAIU
— Udy ? (@mykael_yuddy) September 23, 2024
Another referee ruining a big game with main character syndrome. Done with it.
— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) September 22, 2024
Arsenal were told by PGMOL that Mateo Kovacic was not sent off in the first-half last season because Michael Oliver “didn’t want to ruin the game”.
Then what do we label what happened today? pic.twitter.com/KUyr1MjTDE
— Handson Mlambo (@Handson88) September 23, 2024
There was also a notable incident with Man City’s Jeremy Doku kicking the ball away, but not being punished in the way Trossard was, so perhaps some AFC fans will feel they’re more than justified in raising their concerns.
In general, the standard of refereeing in the Premier League does seem to be a level below what we see in the Champions League and other competitions, and it’s fair to say we might have seen a far better game yesterday if Oliver had used a certain degree of common sense instead of reaching for his cards so quickly.