Summary
Arsenal fans consistently express frustration over controversial refereeing decisions against them, with notable incidents throughout history.
Referees have made questionable calls, leading to red cards, penalties, and offside goals, impacting crucial matches for Arsenal.
Instances, such as mistaken identity, red cards and dubious dismissals, have fueled the belief that officials influence results against the Gunners.
Every football fan in the world believes the officials are against their club. Whether it's giving the opposition a soft penalty, or giving a harsh red card in a must-win game, referees are unable to escape criticism. More likely than not, it's an honest mistake by the hierarchy, and they don't enter the pitch with bias towards one team.
Arsenal fans have been one of the most vocal of all in recent years about their theory that the football world is against them. Fans scurry to social media after each game to complain about a particular decision that didn't go their way, and Gunners fans regularly get dubbed the Premier League's complainers.
However, all this noise is arguably for good reason. Bundles of controversies overshadow the Emirates with each passing season, with the recent 2024/25 Premier League campaign being one of the worst yet. From Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card against Wolves to Robin van Persie's wrongful dismissal against Barcelona over a decade ago, we looked back at the 10 worst refereeing decisions in Arsenal history.
10 Mike Riley Referee Performance vs Manchester United
2004/05
Arsenal players surround Referee Mike Riley after he awarded Manchester United a penalty
Arriving at Old Trafford, Arsenal found themselves on a 49-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and continued to impress after their 'Invincibles' campaign. However, referee Mike Riley made sure he was the one standing in the way between the Gunners and the half century.
Manchester United were gifted a soft penalty after Wayne Rooney went down due to a challenge from Sol Campbell, a spot kick that set the home side on their way to all three points. Riley also refused to reduce the Red Devils to ten men when Ruud van Nistelrooy's studs-up challenge on Ashley Cole went unpunished.
9 Kieran Gibbs Mistaken Identity Red Card
2013/14
Andre Marriner shows a red card to Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs after Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (not pictured) conceded a penalty
Andre Marriner committed one of the most embarrassing moments in football history in a London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea. Back in March 2014, the referee sent off Kieran Gibbs instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, ending in a case of mistaken identity.
Despite Oxlade-Chamberlain's plea of guilt, Marriner confirmed his on-field decision and Gibbs was ushered off the field at Stamford Bridge. It was the start of a miserable day for the North London outfit as Chelsea cruised on to a 6-0 thumping after the bizarre mistake. The sheer stubbornness of the officials in refusing to listen to the Arsenal players after the incident added to the humiliation, and it remains arguably the worst referee error of all time.
8 Gabriel Martinelli Double Yellow Card vs Wolves
2021/22
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli talks to manager Mikel Arteta and team members after being shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver
Michael Oliver struck a Premier League first when he sent off Gabriel Martinelli at Molineux back in February 2022. The Brazilian winger received two yellow cards in just a few seconds after two fouls on Wolves players Daniel Podence and Chiquinho.
After his initial challenge, Oliver played advantage and Martinelli went on to complete another unfair challenge. Instead of cautioning the winger, the referee sent him for an early bath, leaving most football fans in disbelief. It was the first time the league had ever seen anything of the sort, but perhaps it will push players to think about their actions in the future, with officials keeping a keen eye on their behaviour.
7 Laurent Koscielny Penalty vs Newcastle
2010/11
Joey Barton (not in picture) scores Newcastle's third goal from the penalty spot
In one of the greatest matches in Premier League history, Laurent Koscielny found himself in a spot of bother when he gave away two penalties to let Newcastle back in the game. The Magpies were attempting to crawl back a four goal deficit, and an unjust spot kick took the game to within one goal just seven minutes from time.
Newcastle defender Mike Williamson and Koscielny both went up for a header inside the box, however, Phil Dowd spotted something no one else could really work out. The Frenchman was adjudged to have fouled the opposition, despite there being little to no contact in the air. It became a game-changing moment as Cheik Tiote's late strike meant all the points were shared at St James' Park.
6 Leandro Trossard Red Card vs Manchester City
2024/25
MixCollage-24-Sep-2024-11-56-AM-1787
Michael Oliver became the prime villain for Arsenal fans yet again after his dismissal of Leandro Trossard in a crucial clash against Manchester City. The Gunners' players couldn't believe their eyes when Oliver brandished the red card, with the official later admitting that Trossard 'clearly delayed the restart'.
Despite the referee's attempts to crack down on players kicking the ball away, they've still held a rather lenient outlook on such action. Surprisngly, Manchester City's Jeremy Doku prevented a quick restart earlier in the game, but escaped without punishment. The Etihad went crazy when John Stones levelled the game at 2-2 in the dying moments, reiterating how crucial Oliver's decision was.
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5 Declan Rice Red Card vs Brighton
2024/25
Declan Rice
Just a few weeks prior to Leandro Trossard's incident at the Etihad, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was sent off for a similar reason in a game against Brighton at the Emirates. The former West Ham captain kicked the ball merely a yard away from its original position, but Chris Kavanagh deemed the action unacceptable.
The Gunners were reduced to ten men and Joao Pedro equalised for the away side just nine minutes after Rice's dismissal. Much like the Manchester City tie, it seemed as though the officials turned a blind eye to the opposition's mischief. Brighton's Brazilian goalscorer kicked the ball away without caution in the exact same game, starting alarm bells over the inconsistency of referees.
4 David Luiz Red Card vs Wolves
2020/21
Arsenal's David Luiz appeals to referee Craig Pawson after being shown a red card
With no fans in the stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you'd think it would relieve a bit of pressure off the officials' shoulders. Arsenal learned the hard way that this was an incorrect assumption when David Luiz saw red for clipping the heels of Wolves striker Willian Jose.
The Brazilian centre-back was only racing back to catch up to his compatriot when the striker went down unchallenged. Replays barely show any contact, but with Wolves' forward being the last man, Luiz was given his marching orders. The Gunners went on to lose the game 2-1 after Joao Moutinho's winner completed the comeback.
3 Christian Norgaard Offside Assist vs Brentford
2022/23
General view as the big screen displays the VAR decision to allow Ivan Toney's goal for Brentford
The introduction of VAR was to minimise the regular mistakes that officials were making in the English game. Despite the abundance of replays available, it seems crazy that they still manage to come to the wrong decision in some cases. Arsenal's title race felt the full force of these mishaps when they forgot to draw the lines for an offside leading up to a Brentford equaliser.
Christian Norgaard, who was in an illegal position, crossed the ball to goalscorer, Ivan Toney, but the goal was allowed to stand. PGMOL later admitted it was 'human error' by Lee Mason on VAR, stealing pivotal points away from Arsenal's challenge against Premier League rivals Manchester City at the top of the table.
2 Myles Lewis-Skelly Red Card vs Wolves
2024/25
myles lewis-skelly-1
In his early footballing career, Myles Lewis-Skelly has unfortunately been the victim of some questionable refereeing decisions, with red cards and penalties being awarded against him. And, the decision at Molineux back in January 2025 left the vast majority of football fans absolutely speechless.
With Matt Doherty looking to break, the Arsenal defender stuck out a high leg to prevent a counter-attack. Lewis-Skelly immediately ran back into position, showing his acceptance to the impending yellow card caution coming his way. To his surprise, Michael Oliver brandished a red card instead, reducing the Gunners to ten-men under cruel circumstances. The away side still managed to come away with the win and the teenager's three-match ban was overturned.
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1 Robin Van Persie Red Card vs Barcelona
2010/11
Robin van Persie
Being surrounded by 95,000 fans in the Camp Nou, it was always going to be very hard to listen to the faintest whistle noise from the referee. Robin van Persie fell victim to the racket inside the stadium, kicking the ball a second after the referee blew for offside.
Unhappy with the Dutchman's supposed ignorance, Massimo Busacca sent him off in a crucial Champions League second leg tie. Barcelona proceeded through to the semi-finals of the competition as van Persie's dismissal gave them the advantage to see the game through. Post-match, the striker explained how the decision was a 'total joke' and blamed the crowd for his actions. He said:
"How can I hear his whistle with 95,000 people jumping up? How can I hear it? Please explain that?"