Liam Duckstein
Whenever Manchester City and Liverpool meet, the spotlight doesn’t just fall on the players — it often shifts toward the officials. And few referees are more closely associated with this fixture than Michael Oliver.
As one of the Premier League’s most experienced officials, Oliver has been involved in multiple high-profile clashes between these two sides, both as referee and as VAR. His record, decisions, and perceived influence continue to spark debate among fans and analysts alike.
Michael Oliver’s History in Man City vs Liverpool Fixtures
Oliver’s appointment on Saturday will be his 65th match in all competitions involving Manchester City. In his previous 64 encounters, he has overseen 45 City victories, eight draws, and 11 defeats. That is a strong win rate for the hosts — though context matters, given City’s broader dominance over English football in this era.
This season tells a different story. Oliver has refereed three City matches in 2025-26, two of which ended in draws and one in a defeat — meaning City are yet to win in a game he has taken charge of this term.
As for head-to-head appointments, Oliver has taken charge of this fixture in each of the last two seasons — a 1-1 draw at the Etihad in 2023-24, and a 2-0 win for Liverpool at Anfield in 2024-25.
Michael Oliver Stats: Manchester City vs Liverpool
Overall Club Records Under Oliver
| Team | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win Rate |
| Manchester City | 64 | 45 | 8 | 11 | ~70% |
| Liverpool | 23 (from 2020-21) | 8 | 8 | 7 | ~35% |
Head-to-Head Matches Refereed by Oliver
| Stat | Record |
| Recent H2H Appointments | 2 (2023-24, 2024-25) |
| Average Yellow Cards | High (fixture-dependent) |
| Red Cards | Rare |
Games officiated by Oliver between these sides tend to be intense, physical, and closely contested — often resulting in multiple bookings but few dismissals.
Cards Issued: Oliver’s matches involving each club, 2025-26
| Team | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| Manchester City | 9 | 0 |
| Opponents | 6 | 0 |
The November 2025 VAR Controversy
The most contentious recent incident involving Oliver and this fixture came in November 2025 — but one key detail frequently misreported is worth clarifying. Oliver was not the on-field referee that day. The referee for the match was Chris Kavanagh; Oliver served as VAR.
With Manchester City leading 1-0, Van Dijk headed home from a Mohamed Salah corner, only for the linesman to flag — and Oliver, as VAR, to confirm the goal should be disallowed, ruling that Andy Robertson was in an offside position and impeding City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Robertson, who had his back to goal and ducked under the ball, was deemed to be making “an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper.” Liverpool disputed this interpretation strongly, and the controversy deepened when the Premier League’s own key match incidents panel subsequently judged that the decision was incorrect and that Van Dijk’s equaliser should have stood. Liverpool had formally contacted PGMOL to raise concerns, and the episode led to widespread calls for greater consistency in the application of offside interference rules.
The Merseyside Derby Controversy
Another significant incident from 2025-26 is worth noting. Oliver drew heavy criticism from Liverpool after their 2-2 Merseyside derby draw at Goodison Park, in which he issued red cards to manager Arne Slot and his assistant, as well as second yellow cards to Curtis Jones and Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucouré. Slot felt that officiating errors had allowed a 98th-minute Everton equaliser that cost Liverpool two vital points.
Key Controversies
| Match | Oliver’s Role | Controversy |
| Man City 3-0 Liverpool (Nov 2025) | VAR | Disallowed Van Dijk goal (Robertson offside); KMI later ruled decision incorrect |
| Everton 2-2 Liverpool (Feb 2026) | Referee | Red cards to Slot, assistant, and Curtis Jones; Liverpool felt errors cost them the game |
Is There a Bias Toward Manchester City?
The evidence does not support a straightforward conclusion. City’s high win rate under Oliver across all fixtures is consistent with their overall dominance of English football during this period. This season, City have actually failed to win in all three matches Oliver has refereed — a fact that complicates any simple narrative about a refereeing bias in their favour.
What is verifiable is that Oliver is permanently barred from refereeing matches involving Newcastle United and Sunderland, due to his lifelong support of Newcastle — a standard PGMOL protocol applied to all referees based on declared club allegiances. There are no formal findings of bias toward any other club.
What to Expect in This Match
With Oliver in the middle for such a high-stakes fixture, bettors and fans can expect:
- A firm but controlled officiating style
- A relatively high number of yellow cards
- Few red cards unless the game escalates significantly
- Close VAR scrutiny on key decisions — particularly around offside and penalty calls, given recent history
Final Verdict
Michael Oliver remains one of the Premier League’s most trusted referees for elite fixtures — but also one of the most scrutinised.
His history with Manchester City vs Liverpool adds another layer of intrigue to an already explosive matchup. The November 2025 VAR controversy in particular — in which the Premier League’s own panel later admitted the call was wrong — ensures that every significant Oliver decision on Saturday will be examined in minute detail.
In a game this tight, even the smallest call could make the biggest difference.