Big news from the Premier League about Michael Oliver and his role in gameweek 26!
Oliver, who’s 39, is often seen as one of the top referees in the Premier League, but he really had a challenging night during and after last week’s final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
James Tarkowski, the captain of Everton, scored a last-minute equaliser, sending the Toffees’ fans inside the stadium into a frenzy.
And nobody saw what was coming next. Right after the goal, Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure seemed to tease the Liverpool fans who were hanging out in the Bullens Road end of the stadium.
Curtis Jones, the Reds midfielder, wasn’t too happy and quickly made his way over to confront the Mali international.
So, the two got into a bit of a scuffle, and referee Oliver ended up giving them both second yellow cards.
But the drama didn’t end there! Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff got red cards after a fiery chat with Oliver and his team right after the final whistle.
Slot, 46, and Hulshoff, 50, have been charged by the Football Association (FA), and they have until Wednesday, 19 February, to respond.
So, what’s next for Oliver? So, last weekend, he got pulled from the action and served as a video assistant referee (VAR) during Chelsea’s 3-0 loss to Brighton at the Amex on Friday. Then, he did the same thing the next day for Aston Villa’s 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town at Villa Park.
He’s set to be back on the pitch this Wednesday evening, as UEFA has confirmed he’ll be the referee for the all-French showdown between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest in the second leg of the Champions League play-off at the Parc des Princes.
Do you think he’ll be back in Premier League action this weekend?
Yep, the league shared the officiating line-ups for gameweek 26 on their official website Tuesday morning.
Oliver, along with Stuart Burt, James Mainwaring, and fourth official Dean Whitestone, will be the referees for the Saturday evening match between Villa and Chelsea at Villa Park.
As the matches keep coming in the top flight, the league has shared the officials for gameweek 27, happening from February 25 to 27.
The 39-year-old is set to lead Brighton in their match against Bournemouth at the Amex.
