Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor are set to return to refereeing duties in the Premier League's sixth week, as confirmed by England's top flight. Following a weekend filled with controversy, both will be back on the pitch this coming weekend.
Oliver was at the centre of several contentious decisions during Manchester City's nail-biting 2-2 draw against Arsenal, where John Stones' 98th-minute equaliser secured a point for Pep Guardiola's team. Arsenal were left seething after Leandro Trossard received two yellow cards in the first half, the second of which was controversially given for kicking the ball away.
Kyle Walker and his City colleagues were also irate when Oliver called the England international out of position just before Arsenal scored their first goal on a counterattack. Oliver will be serving as the video assistant referee for Chelsea's match against Brighton on Saturday, taking a step back from the main action.
However, he'll be back in the thick of it for Southampton's south coast derby against Bournemouth on Monday evening, September 30, reports the Mirror. Arsenal will have Sam Barrott as the main official for their comparatively low-key match against Leicester on Saturday, with Sian Massey-Elliot and Paul Tierney on VAR and assistant VAR duties.
Taylor is back on refereeing duties after being the fourth official for Brighton's thrilling 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. He played a part in persuading referee Rob Jones to give Morgan Gibbs-White his second yellow card for a tackle on Joao Pedro, despite the on-field decision initially suggesting that the former Wolves man had won the ball.
Jones subsequently dismissed both Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, while Gibbs-White vociferously protested in Taylor's face as he left the pitch. Taylor was absent from last weekend's refereeing roster following a contentious match between Chelsea and Bournemouth the previous week, which saw a record 14 yellow cards issued.
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In his comeback game, Taylor will be in charge of another heavyweight clash as Liverpool aim to defeat Wolves at Molineux. The referee has officiated more Liverpool games than any other team in his career so far, including their 3-0 triumph over Manchester United earlier in September.
On the other hand, Jones won't return to the main stage in gameweek six, instead taking on the role of fourth official for Manchester City's journey to Newcastle. This doesn't mean the pressure will be any less intense, as City strive to return to winning form on challenging ground.
In other news, Chris Kavanagh is set to handle arguably the week's biggest fixture as a fluctuating Manchester United welcome Tottenham on Sunday. He was the one who controversially sent off Declan Rice during Arsenal's draw with Brighton earlier this season, but the Old Trafford showdown could prove to be his toughest assignment yet.
