Stats reveal Michael Oliver probably should not officiate an Arsenal match again | OneFootball

Michael Oliver has long been regarded as one of England’s most experienced referees, but his career has not been without controversy. A recent statistic has added to the perception among some Arsenal fans that Oliver may have an agenda against their club.

Over the weekend, Oliver took charge of Arsenal’s match against Wolves and made headlines for sending off Myles Lewis-Skelly in a decision that left many scratching their heads. The young Arsenal player was shown a straight red card for a foul that most observers, including fans of rival teams, agreed warranted only a yellow card. The Gunners managed to secure the win despite being down to ten men, but the incident has reignited discussions about Oliver’s officiating when Arsenal are involved.

Having been a Premier League referee since 2010, Oliver is one of the most seasoned officials in the game, regularly trusted with high-stakes matches. Yet, Arsenal supporters have grown increasingly frustrated with his performances in their games, pointing to a series of questionable decisions over the years.

According to Give Me Sport, Arsenal have had Oliver as their referee in 55 matches, during which he has issued 97 yellow cards and 8 red cards against the Gunners. These figures make Arsenal the team he has penalised the most with red and yellow cards, which has not gone unnoticed by fans. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, many Arsenal supporters feel their team suffers disproportionately under his watch.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The decision to send off Lewis-Skelly has only added fuel to the fire. It’s not just Arsenal fans who are criticising the call; even neutrals and supporters of rival clubs have expressed their disbelief over the harshness of the punishment. For a team that has already been on the receiving end of debatable officiating decisions in recent seasons, this latest incident feels like part of a worrying pattern.

Oliver’s status as one of the Premier League’s top referees is undisputed, but incidents like these raise questions about whether he should continue officiating Arsenal’s games for the foreseeable future. While it might be unfair to suggest outright bias, the numbers and decisions speak for themselves. For now, perhaps it would be wise for the league to consider assigning a different official to oversee Arsenal matches if only to restore a sense of fairness and balance in the eyes of the fans.

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