Facing Liverpool, Arsenal once again meets a 'nightmare' referee

Arsenal is set for a crucial away game at Liverpool’s Anfield this weekend in the Premier League, yet unfortunate news has reached Mikel Arteta’s squad.

According to confirmation from the Premier League organizers, Kavanagh will be the main referee, assisted by Daniel Cook and Wade Smith. This is considered a key match in the title race, but Kavanagh officiating has caused many Arsenal fans to worry about the possibility of controversial decisions.

In the past, Chris Kavanagh has made numerous decisions that angered Arsenal supporters. In the March win against Chelsea, he denied two situations where Arsenal believed they deserved advantages: one was a handball by Marc Cucurella in the penalty area following Jurrien Timber’s sprint, the other was a dangerous stomp by Wesley Fofana on Declan Rice. VAR also refused to intervene, explaining that Cucurella’s hand was in a “natural position” and the stomp “lacked sufficient force.”

One of the most contentious decisions involving Kavanagh was the red card given to Declan Rice in the match against Brighton. The English midfielder was sent off for kicking the ball after the whistle, while Joao Pedro from the opposing side did the same but was not punished. Later, the head of Premier League referees, Howard Webb, admitted this was a wrong decision and stated that the standards were not applied fairly.

It didn’t stop there; Kavanagh also upset Arsenal by ignoring a dangerous collision between goalkeeper Robert Sánchez (Chelsea) and Gabriel Jesus, then caused controversy in the Newcastle match by initially awarding a penalty to the opponent but later reversing the decision. Additionally, he officiated the 2021 loss to Aston Villa, where he denied a penalty for Arsenal after Emi Martínez fouled and only showed a yellow card to Ezri Konsa despite a clear foul on Bukayo Saka in a one-on-one situation with the keeper.

With such a controversial history, Chris Kavanagh’s presence at Anfield is causing many Arsenal fans to fear a repeat of negative scenarios. In a match crucial for the title race, any referee mistakes could directly impact Mikel Arteta’s team’s chances.

If Arsenal wants to leave Anfield with a positive result, they not only need to play a perfect match against Liverpool’s strength but also overcome the haunting presence of Chris Kavanagh,a name Arsenal fans have considered a “nightmare” over recent seasons.