Manchester United host Manchester City in the first Manchester derby of the new Premier League season on Sunday at 4:30pm. Michael Oliver has been appointed as the referee.
Man City go into the game top of the table and still perfect after three league games. They also won their first Champions League game of the season last time out. Man Utd have taken four points from their three league games, winning their only home game to date. The Red Devils joined Man City in a perfect Champions League start, and will hope to take momentum into this game.
This will be Oliver’s seventh game across all competitions as a referee this season. And he’s been busy. He’s shown 19 yellow cards across those matches, including eight in three in the Premier League. Oliver has also taken charge of six Manchester derbies to date.
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Michael Oliver’s Man Utd record
Man Utd are actually Michael Oliver’s least-refereed team of the so-called Big Six clubs. This will be his 52nd game overseeing the Red Devils, refereeing six teams more. But Oliver has shown Man Utd 106 yellow cards and five reds, the fourth-most in both departments. Oliver oversaw four Man Utd games last season, with the Red Devils winning three of those. All three game against fellow Big Six sides. Oliver has awarded Man Utd eight penalties but also given seven against them.
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches | 51 |
| Wins | 21 |
| Draws | 13 |
| Defeats | 17 |
| League points | x |
| Penalties per game | 0.16 |
| Yellow cards per game | 2.08 |
| Red cards per game | 0.10 |
What happened when Michael Oliver last refereed Man Utd?
Oliver was the man in the middle for Man Utd’s 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April. He showed three yellow cards to Man Utd players, including one to Mason Mount for dissent. Matheus Cunha and Kobbie Mainoo were both booked for fouls. It wasn’t an uneventful game, though, with 25 fouls awarded — 13 committed by Man Utd.
Michael Oliver’s Man City record
Oliver has only refereed one team more than he has Man City, with this set to be his 67th Citizens game. He has always been a busy man in Man City matches, particularly when it comes to penalties. Oliver has awarded 12 penalties to Man City — his third-most of any side — but also given nine against them, also joint-third. But he has only sent off one Man City player, with Dedryck Boyata seeing red in an FA Cup game against Blackburn Rovers way back in January 2014.
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches | 66 |
| Wins | 46 |
| Draws | 9 |
| Defeats | 11 |
| League points | x |
| Penalties per game | 0.18 |
| Yellow cards per game | 1.53 |
| Red cards per game | 0.02 |
What happened when Michael Oliver last refereed Man City?
Oliver was the referee for Man City’s 3-3 draw with Everton towards the end of last season, which played a huge role in their failed title challenge. Oliver booked four Everton players and only one Man City man, cautioning Gianluigi Donnarumma for dissent. Man City committed just five fouls in that game, compared to Everton’s 15.
What should we expect from Michael Oliver?
Oliver hasn’t shied away from a card this season. And he hasn’t shied away from cards in this fixture. As mentioned, he has taken charge of six Manchester derbies as a referee, showing 19 cards. And, in general, there have been at least three yellow cards in each of the past five Premier League Manchester derbies at Old Trafford. So we could see a few cards shown.