BLUNDER ref Michael Oliver has not been given a Premier League game this weekend, following his stunning initial decision not to send off a Millwall player for a kung-fu kick on Saturday.
Oliver, 40, needed a VAR intervention to persuade him to issue a red card to Lions keeper Liam Roberts for his outrageous challenge on Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Michael Oliver has been dropped from this weekend’s Premier League action[/caption]
The referee initially did not give a free kick for Liam Roberts’ kick on Jean-Philippe Mateta[/caption]
Mateta required 25 stitches for the gash on his ear[/caption]
The whistler had not even awarded a free-kick for the horrifying incident in the FA Cup, which saw Mateta taken to hospital and have TWENTY-FIVE stitches for a gashed ear.
Eagles chairman Steve Parish branded the reckless tackle as “endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life”.
The home side went on to win the FA Cup 3-1 at Selhurst Park and knock out the Championship outfit.
The forward was later discharged from hospital after all scans were clear and he was “feeling well”.
Millwall manager Alex Neil and Roberts both reached out to Mateta to check on his well-being after the game.
Oliver has not been given a match to ref this weekend, and is not down to be a fourth official or VAR.
He will officiate Harry Kane’s all-German Champions League clash though as Bayern Munich take on Bayer Leverkusen in their last-16 first leg.
The clash will take place tomorrow night at the Allianz Arena.
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PGMOL sources pointed to the fact that ref rotation is a common occurrence in the Premier League.
Oliver had the weekend of February 15-16 off too, which followed his reffing of a feisty Merseyside derby which ended 2-2 and saw two players and two coaches sent off.
Arne Slot was furious with Oliver after the Merseyside derby last month[/caption]
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was left fuming after the match by Oliver’s performance.
The Dutchman was given a two-match ban and a £70,000 fine for his meltdown after the full-time whistle.
Slot told Oliver that he would “F*****G BLAME” him should Liverpool go on to lose the Premier League title.
The Reds are the favourites to lift the title at the end of the season despite dropping two points against the Toffees.
The FA has backed Oliver on this occasion after publishing the full written reasons for the penalties imposed on Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff.
Both clubs were also punished for the incidents that were sparked by Everton‘s Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stoppage-time celebrations.
A three-person commission explained: “It was reported by the Referee that following the full-time whistle, he was approached by Arne Slot who had entered the field of play to confront the referee and the match officials team.
“Tensions were running high. It was alleged that Arne Slot’s manner was confrontational and aggressive.
“It was alleged that he initially used abusive words whilst shaking the referee’s hand.
“Including that the referee had ‘f****** give them everything’ and that he hoped that the Referee “was proud of that performance.”
“The referee thereafter confirms (having reviewed the video footage to clarify) that he was approached again by Arne Slot around one minute later.
“In this exchange, Arne Slot once again shook the referee’s hand and said, ‘If we don’t win the league, I’ll f****** blame you.”
“It is then further alleged that Arne Slot turned to the assistant referee and shouted twice that it was ‘a f****** disgrace.’
“As a result, he was shown a red card by the referee.”
Oliver also reported that Hulshoff, who also received a two-game touchline ban but was only fined £7,000, had continued the verbal tirade.
Steve Parish on Mateta injury
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish spoke to the media at half time about the injury to Jean-Philippe Mateta…
He told the BBC: “So far what we know is he’s got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury. He’s at the hospital so we hope for the best.
“There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge.
“In all the time I’ve watched football, I’ve never seen a challenge like it.
“I looked to see how old the keeper is, he’s 30 years old.
“That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.
“And he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad.
“Because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that.”
