Referees' Performances | 2025/26

[city5189]

Oliver was impartial. The problem last night was he was giving us free kicks in the first half quite rightly, because they were kicking lumps out of us. But it was happening so frequently the crowd got on his back and he bottled it, which he’s got a habit of doing.

By the end of the game he wasn’t giving the right decision and let the crowd ref the game. It’s not bias, he started well, he’s just a coward.

That's exactly how I saw it,as soon as Everton fans started whining Oliver stopped giving us blatant free kicks and yet when their players fell over he couldn't blow his whistle fast enough.
I've been saying this for a few years that these refs have no backbone when the crowd starts to get on their backs.

 

[cp64]

The ball wasn't in play so it's allowed.

It's a horrible rule, and I'd love to see a firm clampdown on any holding and shirt pulling at all from set pieces, but that is the rule this season so you can do whatever you like when the ball is wnor in play and it won't be pulled up.

It certainly does impact that game as in theory you can down the opposition player prior to the corner being taken then nod it in or out whilst he's on the ground, and it's all fair game. But if they start giving them now with a few games to go then what about the hundreds they've let go since August?

I agree with what you are saying about set pieces. I don't understand the logic of refs warning players before the set pieces are taken .Let the ball come in and call the foul as you see it if it means 10 penalties in a match so be it. It might help put an end to it. This way of reffing also adds to the time that games are taking so let's get back to 2/3 added minutes instead of double digit times.

 

[smevchenko]

You mean 6'4'',14st Bernardo wrestling someone to the floor? Do you realise what a stupid statement that sounds?

Well you can watch the replay and see it for yourself. It should be a penalty (as should every occurrence on any other other player)

The point is, all teams complain about shit decisions every week.

 

[BringBackSwales]

I said a couple of seasons ago that VAR officials were scared when Oliver was the ref. Ooh we daren't overturn a decision by Michael, he's a World Cup referee, and my opinion was he instructed them pre game not to send him to the monitor, it would be his decision and his only.

Apparently there are 2 refs who have let it be known that they do not like being called to the screen, oliver and taylor, the so called best refs in our league. It stinks

 

[Sky Blue]

Scousers think they're being shafted about everything do their opinion doesn't count.

Yep, in full victim mode last night.

 

[smevchenko]

The ball wasn't in play so it's allowed.

It's a horrible rule, and I'd love to see a firm clampdown on any holding and shirt pulling at all from set pieces, but that is the rule this season so you can do whatever you like when the ball is wnor in play and it won't be pulled up.

It certainly does impact that game as in theory you can down the opposition player prior to the corner being taken then nod it in or out whilst he's on the ground, and it's all fair game. But if they start giving them now with a few games to go then what about the hundreds they've let go since August?

It looked like it carried on as the corner was taken. I would want a penalty every time that happens to a City player. In this instance (appreciate it has happened many times to other players), Bernardo has no concern with where the ball is and is only impeding their player.

As you say, should be stronger refs giving pens for this and it might stop.

 

[Edghill OG]

Scousers think they're being shafted about everything do their opinion doesn't count.

They were booing Doku after Keane completely wiped him out as though he'd dived. Quite ridiculous.

 

[roach3]

It was not a shocking performance.it was what I'd expect from players ,at the arse end of a season,playing against 12 men,....whilst watching their fellow teammates get kicked to bits from the oppenent without any protection from the gangster ref/var/assistant refs....UNIT.

What I would say is we’ve seen these type of referees performances many times not only for us either so we shouldn’t be surprised
That being said I think the lack of protection against Doku was particularly shocking, he must have been fouled at least 8 times and I only recall one yellow.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

When the LOTG and the financial rules aren't being applied equally and fairly it's no longer a competition.

115 off the field, PIGMOL on the field No other team in the PL has had the level of financial scrutiny we've had to deal with, and no other team has been of the receiving end of as many 'poor' decisions we've had go against us.

Strategic plan - Clear and organised.

 

[roach3]

We don't help ourselves though do we? Fernandes would have been around and barking at Oliver after every foul last night. Being captain gives some sort of impunity as to constantly moan about decisions.

Yeh but you can bet we would get yellows for that considering how we are reffed differently, these cunts in black are looking for any excuse to get cards out for us.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

I said a couple of seasons ago that VAR officials were scared when Oliver was the ref. Ooh we daren't overturn a decision by Michael, he's a World Cup referee, and my opinion was he instructed them pre game not to send him to the monitor, it would be his decision and his only.

The worst thing is, he issues a red in a European game and he issues a red in the World Cup, for exactly the same challenge.
The reason being, it’d be his last game, for both those competitions, if he didn’t. Here? No consequence…

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

We don't help ourselves though do we? Fernandes would have been around and barking at Oliver after every foul last night. Being captain gives some sort of impunity as to constantly moan about decisions.

Perhaps we should make Donna captain as he regularly tells the ref what he thinks and he always gets booked.
I would love a side by side of him and Fernandes going at the ref and for one ref to explain why one is almost always a booking and the other one is very rarely a booking.

 

[give it to gordon]

Well you can watch the replay and see it for yourself. It should be a penalty (as should every occurrence on any other other player)

The point is, all teams complain about shit decisions every week.

Can only be a penalty if the ball is in play

 

[goatinho]

Moyes actually moaning about the refereeing last night. Hahahahah

 

[give it to gordon]

When the LOTG and the financial rules aren't being applied equally and fairly it's no longer a competition.

Your first sentence.

It's the only way the pl can enforce its plan

The Premier League said it has a/plan for a different name on the trophy every six years.

 

[East Level 2]

I remember a game against the rags at our place when he waved away something like three clear cut penalties but eventually had to give us one as otherwise it was too obvious to hide he was screwing us over.

Three nailed on pens but he didn't give one in the end. I think Sergio just wellied one in.

 

[cp64]

Apparently there are 2 refs who have let it be known that they do not like being called to the screen, oliver and taylor, the so called best refs in our league. It stinks

You are so right about Taylor we have not had Oliver has often. Most surprised yesterday he was called to the monitor for our penalty and because of his ego he was fast on the trigger to give Chelsea their penalty like he was challenging the var to overrule him. I could be wrong as I've only seen highlight and it looked as if Abbott won the ball in an aerial duel and collision could not be avoided I was just looking at which direction the ball travelled so instinct was no penalty but I could be wrong.

 

[Bozzie]

If Rodri does go we should look at this guy Oliver as a CDM. Very good at blocking passing lanes. Reads the game well.

This seems to be an issue in so many games we play. It was obvious last night that Oliver was affecting City’s passing line on numerous occasions. I genuinely don’t know whether it’s by design, whether it’s actually the correct position for the referee to take or whether it’s a product of our style of play when facing a low block.

 

[blueste41]

46 posts in 16 years?? We are reffed differently, go to the ref thread, loads of evidence there.

City fans think we're reffed differently, Rags think it's them, Arsenal.....

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

In the PL this season Oliver averages 3.04 yellow cards per game, in the 10 CL games this season it's 4.50 yellows per game and in World Cup qualification it's 5 yellows. In fact in every season going back to 2014 / 15 he dishes out more yellows in CL than the PL. Anyone would think the game has different laws for different competitions dependent on whether your decisions have consequences or not.