Michael Oliver Set to Officiate as Manchester City Aims to Bounce Back Against Bournemouth
Referee Reveal!
The Premier League has officially announced that Michael Oliver will officiate the highly anticipated match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium this weekend. After a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Tottenham that saw City exit the Carabao Cup, Pep Guardiola and his squad are eager to get back to winning ways in the league.
City’s Strong League Standing
Despite the recent setback, City remains in a strong position in the Premier League, currently sitting at the top with a one-point lead and a five-point cushion over Arsenal. They have maintained an unbeaten streak since the season’s start, but the injury list has swelled to eight players, raising concerns about the fitness of key players like Savinho and Josko Gvardiol.
Oliver’s Experience in Charge
This weekend marks Oliver’s 10th Premier League match this season and his third time overseeing a City game, having previously officiated their 3-1 victory over West Ham and the thrilling 2-2 draw against Arsenal. In his nine matches so far, Oliver has issued 44 yellow cards and one dismissal, but notably, he has not awarded a penalty yet.
City has a solid track record with Oliver as the referee, winning 42 out of 57 matches across all competitions, with only nine losses and six draws. In those matches, City has received 81 yellow cards and benefited from 11 penalties.
Supporting Officials
Assisting Oliver will be Stuart Burt and Craig Taylor as assistant referees. Over at the VAR Hub in Stockley Park, Graham Scott will serve as the Video Assistant Referee, with Sian Massey-Ellis as the Assistant VAR. Meanwhile, Andrew Kitchen will take on the role of fourth official, ensuring that everything runs smoothly between the benches.
As City looks to regroup and reclaim their winning momentum, the spotlight will be on Oliver and his team to help facilitate a fair contest against Bournemouth.
