Liverpool vs Arsenal to be refereed by Paul Tierney who is unpopular with both teams | OneFootball

The Premier League recently confirmed that Paul Tierney will be the referee for Sunday’s high-profile clash between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.

However, the news is unlikely to go well with both clubs, considering they have had unfavourable decisions in the past with Tierney in charge.

Back in September last year, Arsenal suffered their first league defeat of the season at Manchester United.

Marcus Rashford bagged a brace in a 3-1 win for the Red Devils but the dynamic of the game could have been entirely different if VAR did not intervene.

The Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli in the 11th minute but the goal was chalked off for Martin Odegaard’s challenge on Christian Eriksen in the lead-up.

Tierney was happy to let the game flow after the incident but he surprisingly disallowed the goal after being recommended to review by the VAR.

Speaking after the game, the Gunners captain let his frustration out and highlighted that it was a soft challenge and never a foul in the first place.

He said: “In my opinion, it is never a foul. I think the referee sees it and he says play on. It’s a soft challenge and for VAR to come in it has to be clear and obvious.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool also had a similar moment in December 2021. Jurgen Klopp clashed with the referee after a string of dubious decisions.

During a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, Andy Robertson was sent off for a poor challenge but Harry Kane avoided punishment for a similar offence.

In the same game, the Reds were denied a penalty for a foul on Diogo Jota. There were no surprises that Klopp lashed out at Tierney and got himself a booking.

Klopp was spotted by the cameras telling Tierney: “I have no problems with any referees. Only you.”

Speaking after the game, he told Sky Sports: “Yes, definitely [Kane should have been shown a red card]. We can give Robbo a red card – it’s not the smartest challenge of his life, that’s how it is. But that’s [Kane on Robertson] definitely a red card, no doubt about that.”

Both clubs won’t be pleased with Tierney refereeing the game on Sunday afternoon. Hopefully, there are no poor decisions which cost points for either side.

Arsenal are currently eight points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the standings, but the Cityzens have a game in hand to recover some of the deficit.

They need to keep up winning to sustain their title challenge and the Gunners will be eyeing their first league victory at Anfield in more than a decade.

Liverpool also have plenty to play for. Their top-four bid has taken a huge hit after picking up just one point from the last three games.

The Reds are seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur but there are three more teams between them – United and Brighton & Hove Albion have a game in hand.

Sunday’s game is a must-win to keep their slender Champions League hopes alive.