Premier League appoints referee with controversial Arsenal history to officiate Tottenham clash

 

The Premier League has appointed a referee with a controversial record involving Arsenal to officiate the North London Derby

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not be happy with the appointment of referee Jarred Gillett by the Premier League to officiate Sunday’s highly anticipated North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. 

Gillett, who has been at the center of several controversial incidents involving Arsenal, was last in charge during the Gunners’ opening weekend clash against Wolves, a match that left many Arsenal fans outraged.

The flashpoint in that match came when Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera grabbed Arsenal’s Kai Havertz by the throat. Despite the apparent severity of the incident, Gillett and VAR both declined to issue a red card, leaving fans and pundits perplexed. This decision, along with other moments during the game, caused significant frustration among the Arsenal fanbase.

Gillett will now be overseeing his second Arsenal Premier League game in just four matches this season. The timing, given his recent history with the club, has raised eyebrows, particularly among Arsenal supporters who have voiced their displeasure across social media platforms. Arteta himself faces mounting challenges ahead of Sunday’s derby, with a growing injury list that includes key players Martin Odegaard and new signing Mikel Merino.

The Wolves match, which Arsenal won 2-0, was not short on controversial moments. In addition to the Havertz incident, Mosquera was involved in a bizarre altercation with Gabriel Jesus, where he allegedly grabbed the Arsenal striker inappropriately. Jesus reacted, earning himself a yellow card, while Mosquera once again avoided any punishment, leading to further frustration from the Arsenal camp.

Gillett’s track record with Arsenal extends beyond this season. Last year, he was involved in a controversial incident at Aston Villa when he disallowed a late goal by Havertz, despite what Arsenal argued was an obstructed view. VAR, once again, did not intervene. 

Gillett also served as VAR during Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City on New Year’s Day in 2022, when a penalty decision was overturned in City’s favour after a challenge by Granit Xhaka on Bernardo Silva.

Adding another layer of intrigue, Gillett is reportedly a Liverpool fan, according to media reports from his native Australia. Some have pointed out that he has only officiated one match at Anfield, a charity game, which has led to further speculation among fans.