Michael Oliver will not referee the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City on Sunday after being at the centre of a controversial incident involving the Gunners last weekend.
Oliver is regarded as one of the world’s top officials but has faced threats and abuse since his decision to send off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in a match at Wolves last Saturday.
The 39-year-old’s home is reportedly under police guard following threats towards him and his family, which have been condemned by his employer Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
Oliver will instead officiate the Ipswich v Southampton match this Saturday. Before that, he will be in charge for the Champions League match between Barcelona and Atalanta on Wednesday night.
Oliver sent Lewis-Skelly off for a tackle on Wolves’ Matt Doherty. His decision was reviewed and upheld by VAR Darren England, who this weekend will referee the match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Former referee Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports News on Monday that referee abuse was damaging the pipeline of future officials.
“If I was 21 again (and starting out in refereeing) my dad would say, ‘you are not going to do that,” Gallagher said.
“If that happens to Michael Oliver, who’s one of the best referees in the world, I am not letting you do that. It won’t happen. What you’re doing, you’re not actually having to go at Michael Oliver… you’re stopping the lifeblood coming through behind him.”
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards described the decision as the worst he had seen in Premier League history on Monday’s ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast.
“I don’t like using the word ‘disgrace’ because I feel like it’s easy to throw that word out, but if you look at the magnitude of that decision, it was so poor and then for them to double down on the decision, I just think it’s shocking,” Richards said.
Co-presenter Gary Lineker described it as “baffling”, adding: “I hope they turn it over for the youngster because he doesn’t deserve a red on his record.”
Alan Shearer added on the same podcast: “There was not one bit of that challenge that meets the criteria for a red card.”
Referees’ Association chairman Paul Field told PA on Tuesday that, in his view, ex-player pundits were the biggest contributors to the social media “pile-ons” affecting his organisation’s members.
“These pundits, ex-professionals, who pile on are the source of the problem. I think the broadcasters have a duty of care to people,” he said.
“Ofcom ought to be writing to some of these media companies and radio companies, just to remind them of their own obligations.”