Arsenal vs Tottenham referee confirmed: Michael Oliver picked for first Gunners game in 10 months | OneFootball

Michael Oliver has not taken charge of a Gunners game since Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card in January

Oliver will be the man in the middle, with this being the eighth time he will referee a north London derby.

The most recent of those came in April 2024 when Arsenal went 3-0 up and then survived a late Spurs charge to win 3-2.

Stuart Attwell will be on VAR duty, with Michael Salisbury the fourth official at the Emirates Stadium.

It will be the first Arsenal match Oliver has taken charge of since the Gunners beat Wolves in January.

Michael Oliver faced a torrent of abuse after the overturned red card decision

AFP via Getty Images

Myles Lewis-Skelly was controversially sent off in that match for stopping a counter-attack just outside the Wolves box, a decision that was later overturned.

"I am absolutely fuming, but I leave it with you," Mikel Arteta said after the match.

"Because it is that obvious, I don't think my words are going to help."

Oliver was afterwards subjected to a significant level of abuse - which reportedly included death threats and threats to make his home address public - which prompted the police to launch “a number of investigations,” and both the Premier League and referees’ body PGMOL to strongly condemn those guilty.

Arsenal were also left frustrated earlier last season when Oliver dismissed Leandro Trossard against Manchester City, and in 2022 when he showed Gabriel Martinelli two yellow cards in the same passage of play against Wolves.

This will be the second time Oliver has been in the middle for a Spurs match this campaign. He was in charge for their 3-0 win over Burnley in August on the opening weekend of the season.