adminReferee Michael Oliver found himself at the centre of a major controversy following several contentious decisions during Manchester City’s 1-0 Premier League victory over 10-man Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
The first major talking point involving Oliver came in the 23rd minute when he showed Phil Foden a red card. The decision immediately sparked debate, with replays appearing to show that Foden’s kick came after the Manchester City player had initially been kicked while lying on the ground by Bruno Fernandes. Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane questioned the decision during his Sky Sports punditry.
Oliver was also involved in the second major controversy of the afternoon when Erling Haaland scored what proved to be the winning goal around the hour mark. Although the incident was primarily a VAR issue, Oliver was the referee overseeing the match when the goal was allowed to stand.
Enzo Fernandez appeared to be standing in an offside position and was arguably involved in the build-up to the goal. Pro Ref has since judged that the correct decision should have been to rule the goal out for offside. The organisation also questioned why VAR officials at Stockley Park did not recommend that Oliver conduct an on-field review.
Following the match, Oliver faced significant criticism across social media, with supporters once again debating some of his major decisions.
For years, sections of football fans have accused Oliver of having a bias against certain clubs while allegedly favouring others. However, there is one important detail about the experienced official that many supporters may not know: he is prevented from refereeing matches involving two English clubs.
The Two Teams Michael Oliver Cannot Referee
Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Oliver began his refereeing journey at just 14 years old. He progressed rapidly through the ranks before being appointed to the National List of Referees in 2007.
Three years later, Oliver made Premier League history when he became the youngest referee ever to officiate in the competition. He was only 25 years and 182 days old when he took charge of Birmingham City’s meeting with Blackburn Rovers in August 2010.
Despite his experience at the highest level, Oliver’s strong connections to the North East mean there are two clubs whose matches he cannot officiate.
The referee is not permitted to take charge of Newcastle United matches because of his allegiance to the club. For the same reason, he is also unable to referee games involving Newcastle’s fierce rivals, Sunderland.
Oliver himself has previously explained the rules surrounding referees and their club allegiances.
“We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club. You can’t do any match involving that team, and I can’t do Sunderland, either, for obvious reasons,” Oliver said in an interview, according to the Express.
How Referees’ Club Allegiances Are Managed
Former Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Keith Hackett has previously explained how referees’ backgrounds are assessed before appointments are made.
“At the beginning of every season, the referees’ background information is audited,” Hackett explained.
He added that officials complete a form detailing information such as the club they support, their playing history and their residential address.
That information is then considered when refereeing appointments are being made, helping officials avoid situations that could create a perceived conflict of interest.
Hackett explained that the system is designed to prevent scenarios where an official could potentially have a strong connection to one of the teams involved.
The rules mean that Oliver’s Newcastle allegiance prevents him from taking charge of the Magpies, while the same principle keeps him away from Sunderland fixtures.
Following Sunday’s Manchester derby, Oliver came under intense scrutiny online because of his involvement in several controversial decisions.
However, with both Manchester City and Manchester United having reasons to question aspects of the officiating, the controversy was not necessarily one-sided.
The debate surrounding Oliver is therefore likely to continue, particularly whenever another major Premier League decision puts the experienced referee in the spotlight.
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