The Two Teams Michael Oliver Cannot Officiate He has never been a referee for either of these clubs’ fixtures

Referee Michael Oliver found himself at the heart of controversy after his decision to send off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly during their clash with Wolves on Saturday sparked fury among Gunners’ fans. Mikel Arteta’s side were reduced to 10 men just before halftime at Molineux, as the young left-back was shown a straight red card for what Oliver deemed to be serious foul play.

The contentious incident occurred when Wolves’ Matt Doherty was brought down by Lewis-Skelly while attempting to break away from his own half. With a clear view of the challenge, Oliver wasted no time in reaching for the red card. Arsenal supporters have since been quick to highlight a pattern they believe points to bias.

For years, fans have accused Oliver of having a grudge against the club, citing statistics that show he has issued more yellow and red cards to Arsenal players than any other team. Adding fuel to the fire, Oliver has never sent off a Manchester City player. But did you also know that he’s banned from refereeing matches involving two English clubs?

Originating from Ashington, Northumberland, Oliver embarked on his refereeing career at the young age of 14, rapidly ascending the ranks before joining the National List of Referees in 2007. He made history in August 2010 when he became the youngest-ever Premier League referee, presiding over a match between Birmingham and Blackburn Rovers at just 25 years and 182 days old.

But such are his Geordie roots, the 39-year-old is not allowed to oversee Newcastle United games. For the same reasons, he is also not allowed to officiate Sunderland games. “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,” he said in an interview, per the Express.

Keith Hackett, ex-chief of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), explained: “At the beginning of every season the referees’ background information is audited.

“They complete a form that includes who they support, the history of if they’ve played the game and with the addresses where they are residing. That gives you a picture that comes into use when you’re appointing. It’s about ensuring, for example, you wouldn’t appoint a Sheffield-based ref for a Sheffield team.”

Post-match discussion saw Oliver come under heavy fire on social media for his decision to dismiss Lewis-Skelly, with some comments escalating to the point of being investigated by police. Despite the backlash, the PGMOL has backed the referee’s decision, pointing to the lateness and height of the challenge as justification for the red card. As a result, further action is unlikely, and the young left-back’s suspension is expected to remain in place.