Recent ‘arrogant’ performances by Michael Oliver demonstrate that he is no longer the Premier League’s senior official. Just one week after making a well-publicized mistake at Molineux, former PGMOL chairman Keith Hackett has criticized the referee from Northumberland’s performance in the Merseyside derby.
After a furious altercation at the end of a thrilling 2-2 draw between Everton and Liverpool, the referee sent out four red cards. The home team believed Conor Bradley should have been sent off after a second bookable foul on Abdoulaye Doucoure, while the visitors were irritated by a number of controversial decisions, including a free kick that resulted in Everton’s first goal (see the video below).
🤬 “Michael Oliver got it WRONG.” – Ex-PGMOL chief @HACKETTREF blasts Premier League official after major Iliman Ndiaye controversy in Everton-Liverpool blockbuster. pic.twitter.com/Jnard40DVU
— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) February 13, 2025
Hackett contends that the referee’s recent performances, including the contentious dismissal of Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly for a minor foul last weekend, demonstrate that he is no longer the best in the nation and would benefit from more coaching. Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said Oliver lost control of the game.
Former PGMOL Chief Lambasts Michael Oliver
England’s supposed best referee looked out of his depth in big derby
Unquestionably the biggest Premier League match of the season thus far was Liverpool’s quick trip across Stanley Park for the last-ever Merseyside derby to take place at Goodison Park. The Reds’ lead over second-place Arsenal would have grown to nine points with a victory. But the man with the whistle appeared to be a city cowboy when the situation called for expertise at every level.
“There is a little bit of arrogance in Michael Oliver’s performances at the moment,” Hackett wrote about Oliver for The Telegraph. I’m not suggesting that he is “lording it,” but he isn’t doing as well as he could and most likely needs a nudge to remind him that “you have to perform better if you want to stay at the top.”
“He isn’t the best right now, in my opinion. At times, Anthony Taylor outperforms him, while Sam Barrott, a relatively new addition to the list, is now the referee who is performing the best.”
Hackett went on to say: “Oliver needs to be reminded that you are only as good as your previous game and that you cannot live on your reputation. His performance in the Merseyside derby was flawed from start to finish, and remaining on the field at the final whistle all but encouraged a run-in with Arne Slot.
Another angle of Arne Slot's red card tonight…
What did he say to Michael Oliver 🤝 pic.twitter.com/qzR376WKUw
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 12, 2025
Taylor, who was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, is by far the most seasoned of the two referees Hackett mentioned as being superior to Oliver. He was promoted to the top division in 2010 after several years of officiating in lower leagues, and he has stayed there ever since. Only 100 of the 491 games he has overseen have taken place outside of the Premier League.
Only joining Taylor and Oliver in December, Sam Barrott has already established himself as one of the few referees who takes a tough stance. He has a reputation for rarely using VAR to guide his decisions. Even though he is still relatively fresh, it will be interesting to watch how he responds to the strain as the season goes on, particularly as it approaches its pivotal moments. Nonetheless, Barrott seems to be spearheading the movement for a more promising future in England’s officiating scene, which has frequently been engulfed in scandal.
Refereeing a game like that requires empathy for what is happening in front of you, Hackett went on. For the match officials, the Merseyside derby is always a difficult match. Oliver’s performance did not improve as the temperature rose. Additionally, I thought there were times when he needed to use spoken words to establish his authority. Before bookings, a public reprimand followed by a quiet word. He chose to display yellow cards instead of using his power.
“An additional factor to take into account is Oliver’s stagnation, which I believe is caused in part by the caliber of coaches in the PGMOL. Given that Lee Mason is the head coach, it seems to me that Oliver is exceeding their expectations, which is the source of the weakness.
Mason hasn’t officiated international matches. Are the coaches capable of producing at the highest level? More needs to be done to instill in them the belief that every game matters and that we anticipate better performances. I’ve discussed this with coworkers, and Oliver is capable of delivering far better work than he has lately.”
