Michael Oliver has been at the top of his game as an official for some while now, but two glaring mistakes he made during the Man City vs Arsenal game have been criticised by Stan Collymore.
There’s no room for any misinterpretation of the laws of the game when the eyes of the world are on matches such as the ‘Super Sunday’ clash last weekend.
In general terms, Oliver managed the game well enough, but one decision in particular really irked Man City and their supporters.
Michael Oliver made two glaring errors in the Man City vs Arsenal game
Leading through an Erling Haaland strike, Arsenal were allowed a way back into the game thanks to a quick free kick whilst City captain, Kyle Walker, was out of position.
“I think that when a captain is called out of position and has a discussion with a ref, it is absolutely right and proper to wait until he’s back in position before an opposition player can have the chance of taking a quick free-kick. Particularly, as in Kyle Walker’s case, if you’re a right back,” Collymore said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.
“It’s not as if he was just two or three yards away from the action when he was called over by Michael Oliver during the Arsenal game.
“It’s a really big talking point because we’re all clear on the new directive that only the captains can now approach the match officials.
“Walker was out of position when Arsenal took their free-kick, something the referee should’ve acknowledged – and which he already knew, to be perfectly honest.
“As long as a captain hasn’t been dragged way out of position, then the referee is well within his rights to signal a quick free-kick, but that isn’t what happened at the weekend.”
If City were aggrieved at that potential miscarriage of justice, Arsenal might be asking questions of Oliver and PGMOL in the aftermath of the home side’s late equaliser.
TV cameras picked up Erling Haaland throwing the ball at the back of Gabriel’s head, but no further action was taken.
“Sticking with Sunday’s big game, I did think that Erling Haaland throwing the ball at Gabriel Magalhaes was funny, but it was still ungentlemanly conduct – or unsportsmanlike behaviour if you prefer,” Collymore added.
What both incidents show is that even the best referees get it wrong sometimes, and if most in the game are judged and scrutinised by how well they do in certain situations, then surely for the continued health and impartiality of the game, referees and match officials need to be held accountable to the same standard.
Could have been worst than being called out of position, he could have been called to the bench by issuing a red card. I think Trossard and Arsenal got the worst of his bias decisions wouldn’t you say?
Me think there is a conspiracy against arsenal success in England championed by officiating officials.
Wrong. We are told that Oliver did not see Haarland chucking the ball at the back of Gabriel’s head. Also that VAR did see it and considered it not worth following up. I suggest that VAR didn’t need the aggravation and kept their heads down !!!
This is a nonsense.Permeated by citeh & walker looking for an excuse to try & get goal disallowed.Walker was back in position ( their back line) but positioned himself poorly & slow to react.Thats the truth.As for cyborgg Haaland should have had his marching orders for a collection of incidents.But this is Oliver we’re talking about.
In the 1st Halaand challenge on Saliba, was deliberate and late, If it was an Arsenal player on Man City Oliver would have issued a card for that.
The 1st few seconds to the match, Rodri collision with Harvertz, It was as if City players knew they couldn’t play against 11 Arsenal players, such that they wanted a player sent off as early as 5 secs.
Leading the Man City late equalizer, Gvardiol was deliberately pushing or shoving Lewis-Skelly off before Kovaciec shot, If Arsenal 2nd was repeatedly checked by VAR to see if Martinelli or Saliba fouled Ederson, Same VAR should have checked & reviewed the Man City late equalizer cause there was a foul leading to the goal.
Doku should have been caution with a yellow card too, He has no right to kick the ball, Very soon same situation would arise and you would see that The Referee would caution an Arsenal player.
Halaand should have been sent off for deliberately throwing the ball at Gabriel’s back head, again if an Arsenal player did this, a red card would be issued
Last season at the Emirate, Arsenal Vs Man City, Kovaciec escaped red or 2nd yellow card for a challenge on Arsenal player (Odergard & Rice) Oliver decided not to issue the card, his reason was he didn’t want to change the balance of the game & give 1 side advantage. similar case same rule should apply in the case of Trossard but he was quick to issue a 2nd yellow card for an incident which happened in 0.84 secs
English Refereees, PGMOL, EPL, The FA are all bunch of jokes, and that is why English senior men’s team haven’t won anything this far.
These comments by Collymore are misleading and inaccurate.
First of all, Michael Oliver’s performances in the EPL have been very suspect over the last year-plus, but Howard Webb loves him. He finally found the courage for a second yellow sendoff after having seen what Kavanaugh did with Rice against Brighton.
Secondly, Haaland throwing the ball at Gabriel (at his head!) is a textbook violent conduct sendoff; it is not merely a cautionable offense. And it is a required sendoff, very well elaborated on in the Laws’ expanded definitions and explanations.
The referees have to stop deciding which Laws they want to enforce and simply follow the Laws of the Game. Their inconsistency and poor execution is doing the EPL no favors.