We examine the reason behind Arsenal fans’ criticism of English referee Michael Oliver and his record and stats vs the club
Riccardo Calafiori came off the bench to deliver a stunning match-winning goal as Arsenal secured a vital 1-0 victory at Wolves in a tense and fiery encounter that saw both sides reduced to 10 men. The match was mired in controversy from the outset, with Arsenal the first to be dealt a blow when teenage left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card for bringing down Matt Doherty in the Wolves half, as he attempted to halt a counter-attack.
What is referee Michael Oliver’s record against Arsenal, Liverpool vs Man City and his full refereeing career stats by club
Arsenal players and supporters were understandably livid with referee Michael Oliver’s decision, initially believing the dismissal was for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. However, the Premier League later clarified that the 18-year-old had been sent off for serious foul play, adding fuel to the already heated atmosphere surrounding the match. Notably, this decision marked the eighth red card given to an Arsenal player by Michael Oliver, the most reds he’s given to any team in his career.
Michael Oliver has sent off an Arsenal player 8 times in his career, more than any other team. 🟥#WOLARS pic.twitter.com/BBCjg1eeeg
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 25, 2025
Why Arsenal fans have criticized Michael Oliver throughout the years?
Oliver’s history with Arsenal has been marked by several contentious decisions, with fans often criticizing his officiating during key moments. One of the most infamous instances occurred in February 2022 when he handed Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli a controversial red card in a match against Wolves, issuing two yellow cards in quick succession. Arsenal fans were outraged at the decision, which led to their side playing with 10 men for a significant portion of the match, despite ultimately securing a 1-0 win.
More recently, Oliver’s controversial decision-making continued when he sent off Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard in a match against Manchester City in September 2024, for kicking the ball away at the brink of halftime. Many questioned the consistency of the officiating, as similar incidents involving City players were not punished in the same way. Even Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal’s misfortune with the officiating, fueling further backlash against Oliver’s performance.
Oliver’s record with Arsenal has been under scrutiny due to his high number of yellow cards and red cards against Arsenal players, which exceeds those handed to other teams he has officiated, such as Liverpool. Notably, Arsenal players have received eight red cards under his tenure, a higher count than any other team he has refereed. He has only sent off one Liverpool player till date while none Manchester City player despite referring them 50 times.
MICHAEL OLIVER HOW IS THAT A STRAIGHT RED CARD❌🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/l3i5pmjGwA
— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) January 25, 2025
Oliver has refereed Arsenal 58 times and Liverpool 54 times.
Michael Oliver Record vs Arsenal
| Premier League | Matches | W | D | L |  |
 |
 |
| home | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 42 | – | 2 |
| away | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 56 | 4 | 1 |
| overall | 54 | 24 | 12 | 18 | 98 | 4 | 3 |
Oliver who earns 200,000 pounds annually as a referee in the Premier League entire career records can be found here.