Referee Michael Oliver set for swift return to Premier League duties after Everton vs Liverpool fought for key player after match

Referee Michael Oliver set for swift return to Premier League duties after Everton vs Liverpool fought for key player after match

Referee Michael Oliver oversaw a tumultuous Merseyside derby on Wednesday, a match in which Arsenal were hoping for a victory to bolster their Premier League title chances.

Despite being at the center of Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby controversy, referee Michael Oliver will report for duty as usual this weekend in the Premier League.

Arsenal kept one eye on Goodison Park, hoping for a result that did not benefit Liverpool so that the points difference between first and second in the league remained minimal.

Oliver’s decision to play three minutes over than the five minutes allotted for stoppage time at the end of the game allowed Everton to tie the game at 2-2, closing the difference to seven points instead of nine.

Prior to that, the referee had awarded 29 fouls, 20 to the Reds and nine to the Blues. One allowed David Moyes’ side to get the opener from a free-kick with no touch on Iliman Ndiaye, while Liverpool felt wronged for failing to give Mohamed Salah a free-kick before the hosts scored their late equaliser.

All of this erupted after the final whistle, when Curtis Jones collided with Abdoulaye Doucoure for celebrating in front of a small group of away fans. Both received second yellow cards as a result.

Arne Slot and his assistant were then given straight red cards, presumably for their interactions with Oliver in the aftermath. The Liverpool manager could not provide much explanation during his Friday press conference as the FA investigates the situation ahead of a possible suspension.

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