Just In: Premier League make decision on referee that left Steve Cooper baffled after Arsenal vs Leicester City
The Premier League has announced the officials for this weekend’s 10 matches, including the significant decision regarding the referee for Leicester City’s away defeat to Arsenal.
Steve Cooper’s team fell to a 4-2 loss after conceding two goals in stoppage time, despite initially leveling the score with two second-half goals from James Justin. Arsenal had taken the lead through Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, but an own goal by Wilfred Ndidi and a late effort from Kai Havertz sealed Leicester’s fate.
Cooper expressed his disappointment over “two poor decisions” made during the match, which may have influenced this weekend’s officiating assignments. After the game, he criticized referee Sam Barrott for missing two crucial errors: he claimed that Jamie Vardy was fouled by William Saliba before Arsenal’s first goal and that Ricardo Califiori should have received a second yellow card in the second half. The Match of the Day panel supported Cooper’s views.
As a result of these controversies, Barrott will not officiate any matches this weekend, marking the first time this season he will be absent from the fixtures. He had previously served as either the main referee or fourth official for every matchday until now, according to the Premier League website.
In his place, Darren Bond will referee Leicester’s game against Bournemouth at the King Power Stadium on Saturday. Bond has already officiated a match involving the Foxes this season, during their 2-1 defeat to Fulham in August. That game featured a controversial moment when Wout Faes’ equalizer was initially ruled offside but was later allowed after Bond reviewed it on the VAR monitor. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher explained that Bond and VAR made the correct decision, despite initial criticism.
Cooper’s confusion over the officiating during the Arsenal match has led to this significant decision regarding refereeing appointments in the Premier League.
