Arsenal is set to take on Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night as they look to recover from their recent setback in the Premier League.
However, much of the pre-match discussion has centered around the appointment of referee Andy Madley, who has been at the heart of controversy following his decisions over the weekend.
Madley was the focal point of a contentious moment during Manchester United’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
In the final moments of stoppage time, he awarded a penalty to Everton after ruling that Harry Maguire had fouled Ashley Young inside the area.
However, the decision was soon questioned by VAR official Matt Donohue, who advised Madley to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
After an extensive review from multiple camera angles, Madley ultimately reversed his initial decision, opting instead to award a drop ball to Manchester United.
The reversal sparked significant debate, with replays suggesting that although Maguire may not have committed a foul, Everton could have had a case for a penalty due to an apparent challenge by Matthijs de Ligt.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher weighed in on the situation during Ref Watch, stating that had Madley viewed a specific angle from behind the goal, he might have upheld his original call.
Despite the uproar surrounding the decision, both Madley and Donohue have been retained for midweek Premier League fixtures.
Madley will oversee Arsenal’s trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest, while Donohue has been assigned as the lead VAR official for two other matches—Brighton’s clash with Bournemouth and Liverpool’s encounter with Newcastle United.
Arsenal heads into the fixture eager to bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 loss against West Ham United on Saturday, a defeat that dealt another blow to their title ambitions.
The loss saw them fall even further behind in the Premier League standings, especially as Liverpool managed to claim a vital victory over Manchester City.
As a result, Mikel Arteta’s side now finds themselves trailing by 11 points in the title race.
With Arsenal in need of a strong response, all eyes will be on their performance at the City Ground.
However, with Madley’s recent officiating decisions already under scrutiny, there could be added tension surrounding his role in the match.
As the Gunners aim to regain their form and close the gap at the top, they will also hope for a fair and controversy-free officiating display.
