The Merseyside derby at Goodison Park is just over two weeks away, after being rescheduled to February 12 following its initial postponement on December 7 due to Storm Darragh. This highly anticipated match will also mark the final league encounter at Goodison before Everton moves to a new stadium, adding extra significance to the fixture. However, some Liverpool fans may be feeling more apprehensive about the game after an announcement regarding the match’s officiating.
The Premier League confirmed that Michael Oliver will be the referee for the derby, with Chris Kavanagh serving as the VAR official. Meanwhile, for Liverpool’s upcoming match against Bournemouth, Darren England will be the referee, with John Brooks on VAR duties. Oliver’s appointment, however, may raise concerns among some Liverpool supporters. This stems from the fact that Liverpool’s recent record at Goodison Park has not been particularly favorable, with the team managing only two wins at the venue since October 2011. Given this and the current officiating appointment, there is a sense of unease about their prospects in the upcoming fixture.
Michael Oliver’s selection for the derby might be unsettling to Liverpool fans for a number of reasons. Recently, the referee received criticism for a contentious decision in which he gave a red card to Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in their match against Wolves—a decision that many considered to be overly harsh. Darren England, the VAR official for that match, upheld Oliver’s decision, which only served to further fuel the controversy. If a similar incident were to occur involving a Liverpool player, it is understandable that fans would react strongly. However, while the frustration surrounding refereeing decisions is a part of football, the threats directed at Oliver and his family after the Arsenal game were entirely inappropriate and unacceptable.
In addition to the recent controversies, Liverpool’s performance under Oliver has also been less than ideal. The team has only won three of the last 12 matches officiated by him, a record that certainly won’t inspire confidence. One particularly memorable incident occurred last season during a 1-1 draw between Manchester City and Liverpool when Oliver failed to penalize Jeremy Doku for a high challenge on Alexis Mac Allister. Despite the clear nature of the foul, VAR chose not to intervene, which led to further discontent among Liverpool supporters.
Despite these concerns, fans will be hoping that the officiating does not overshadow what should be an exciting and fiercely contested derby. Liverpool supporters will be looking for a long-overdue victory at Goodison Park, and with any luck, the focus will remain on the game itself rather than any officiating controversies.
