The 2024/25 Premier League season has been dominated by Liverpool’s brilliant start under Arne Slot, Manchester United’s continued fall from grace, Nottingham Forest’s unlikely Champions League bid and contentious refereeing decisions.
The latter is often the main talking point come Saturday evening, let alone Monday morning. William Saliba’s contentious penalty against Brighton saw the referees under the spotlight once again last weekend, while Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall was the centre of controversy in the EFL Cup when he perhaps ought to have walked before his late winner against Liverpool.
Here, FootballFanCast looks at 11 of the most controversial refereeing decisions of the current Premier League campaign, and why they’ve left players, managers and fans alike angry.
10 of the worst referee mistakes in football history
Some say it’s the hardest job in football, but these refs got it really, really wrong.
ByRoss Kilvington 11 Declan Rice second yellow v Brighton Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Declan Rice was sent off during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton in August after being shown a second yellow card after poking the ball away from Joel Veltman as he prepared to take a free-kick.
While by the letter of the law, the decision was correct, it incensed many Arsenal fans, and has continued to do so because other similar incidents have since gone unpunished.
Even referee Chris Kavanagh, who showed Rice the red, said he “didn’t like” the decision, but “had no choice”.
10 Pedro Neto penalty claim v Crystal Palace Referee: Tim Robinson
Chelsea were 1-0 up against Crystal Palace when Pedro Neto and Tyrick Mitchell sprinted towards a loose ball just inside Palace’s penalty area.
Neto beat Mitchell to the ball, poking it away with his toe, while Mitchell missed it, instead connecting with Neto’s legs and sending him to the ground.
Match official Tim Robinson judged Mitchell to have fairly won the ball, as did the VAR. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher, later told Sky Sports that he would have pointed to the spot.
9 Ait-Nouri handball claim v Nottingham Forest Referee: Peter Bankes
Viewers were left puzzled as to why Rayan Ait-Nouri was not penalised for what appeared to be a blatant handball during Wolves’ 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
Referee Peter Bankes dismissed appeals for a penalty after Ola Aina’s cross struck Ait-Nouri’s arm. VAR checked the incident and agreed with the on-field decision.
After the game, a tweet from the Premier League Match Centre account revealed that Ait-Nouri had escaped punishment because his arm was deemed to have been in a natural position when the ball struck it. An interesting call, to say the least.
8 Jhon Duran red v Newcastle Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa, December 26
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran was sent off when he was deemed to have intentionally stamped on Magpies defender Fabian Schar during Villa’s 3-0 loss at St James’ Park.
While some, including in the video below, agreed that it was right for the Colombian to be sent off, others, including former Villa star Dean Saunders, were outraged.
“There was no intent!” raged Saunders on TalkSPORT. “If you watch, Duran is trying to get to the ball past Schar.”
Duran reacted angrily to his sending-off at the time, kicking a water bottle as he left the pitch and having to be restrained by a member of Villa’s backroom staff. He was later charged by the FA with improper conduct.
7 Ebere Eze disallowed goal v Brentford Referee: Sam Barrott
Crystal Palace midfielder Ebere Eze was controversially denied a brilliant free-kick goal in the Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Brentford back in August.
Eze had scored directly from a wide free-kick with the game goalless, but referee Sam Barrott had blown the whistle before the ball crossed the line for a foul by Palace’s Will Hughes.
Because of the early whistle, VAR was unable to review Hughes’ supposed foul, or Eze’s goal.
Eze later claimed that Barrott admitted to making an error by disallowing his goal, telling BBC’s Match of the Day: “I was told [by the referee] that he blew too early and made the mistake. It could have changed the game but we have to deal with it.”
6 Issa Diop foul v Liverpool Referee: Tony Harrington
Liverpool fans were left baffled when Fulham defender Issa Diop wasn’t shown a red card during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with the Cottagers in mid-December.
While challenging Andy Robertson for a bouncing ball, the French defender missed the ball and instead sunk his studs into the knees of the Scotsman, leaving him writhing in pain on the floor. Diop was only shown a yellow card by referee Tony Harrington, with the VAR deciding against overturning the original call.
To add insult to injury, Robertson was later sent off for a challenge on Harry Wilson.
5 Leandro Trossard second yellow v Man City Referee: Michael Oliver
Weeks after Declan Rice’s dismissal against Brighton, Leandro Trossard left his Gunners teammates in a similar pickle after being given a second caution, which also came from delaying the restart following a foul.
Leading 2-1 against champions Manchester City moments before half-time, the Belgian barged into Bernardo Silva, with referee Michael Oliver awarding the home side a free-kick.
Trossard appeared to kick the ball away after the whistle, which Oliver took as seeking to delay the restart of play despite Silva being prone at the time, while the winger protested his innocence as he may have been looking to set Gabriel Martinelli clear.
It was certainly on the pettier side as red cards go, and it was made all the more sickening for Arsenal given that Mateo Kovacic had escaped the same punishment for a pair of more egregious misdemeanours in a previous meeting (under Oliver) – even before they were pegged back by a late equaliser.
Every Premier League team's worst referee
Which referees are full of bad omens and shocking statistics? FFC breaks down each PL club’s least-wanted referee.
1 ByStephan Georgiou 4 Matthijs de Ligt foul v West Ham Referee: David Coote
In what proved to be Erik ten Hag’s last game in charge of Manchester United, the Red Devils were tied with West Ham at one goal apiece when United defender Matthijs de Ligt conceded a late penalty.
Referee David Coote did not initially give a spot-kick, but it was overturned by VAR official Michael Oliver, who adjudged De Ligt to have fouled Hammers striker Danny Ings.
Jarrod Bowen stepped up and fired home, sealing victory for West Ham. Ten Hag was sacked less than 24 hours later.
Former Premier League referee Howard Webb, who is chief of refereeing body PGMOL, told Premier League’s Match Officials Mic’d Up show that he thought the decision to award the penalty was incorrect.
“I think this is a situation where we’d leave the on-field decision as it is, probably whichever way it’s called. On balance, I don’t think it’s a penalty kick,” he said.
We suspect that United fans may be grateful it was given.
3 William Saliba foul v Brighton Referee: Anthony Taylor
“I’ve never seen a decision like this in my career,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said after his side conceded a penalty against Brighton.
With Arsenal leading 1-0 thanks to Ethan Nwaneri’s goal, Joao Pedro went to ground following a clash of heads with Saliba while both contested a looping ball.
Referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty and the VAR saw no reason to overturn his original call.
However, other angles of the incident appeared to show Saliba getting a touch on the ball before catching the Brazilian, which is what angered Arteta, whose side ultimately dropped two points because of the decision.
2 Pervis Estupinan challenge v West Ham Referee: Rob Jones
Late on in West Ham’s recent draw with Brighton, Hammers defender Maximilian Kilman advanced the ball into midfield only to be met by a flying Pervis Estupinan, who appeared to leave the floor with both feet, clattering into Kilman with his studs up.
Referee Rob Jones immediately produced a yellow card, but it was then checked by VAR official Paul Tierney. His decision? Somehow, no red card.