Referee Michael Oliver Sends Apology Letter to Man United After Controversial Handball Decision That Cost Man U the Three Crucial Points Against Liverpool

There is no credible evidence to support claims that referee Michael Oliver sent an apology letter to Manchester United over a controversial handball decision in a match against Liverpool. Incidents of this nature are typically reported by reliable sports news outlets, and the lack of such reports strongly suggests that this event may not have occurred.

Michael Oliver has, however, been at the center of scrutiny for other officiating decisions. For instance, during a Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City, he faced backlash for issuing a second yellow card to Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard for delaying a restart. The decision sparked debates among players, managers, and analysts. Similarly, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes voiced his frustration over a match against Tottenham Hotspur, where a potential handball by Tottenham’s Cristian Romero was not deemed a penalty. Fernandes criticized the lack of transparency in refereeing decisions, calling for more accountability and explanations from officials.

While controversies around officiating decisions are common in football, formal apologies from referees are rare and typically not made public. In exceptional cases, officiating bodies like the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have acknowledged errors. For example, in February 2022, PGMOL’s chief Mike Riley apologized to Everton after a penalty for a clear handball during a match against Manchester City was overlooked. These instances underline that while referees’ decisions often attract criticism, public apologies are not the norm.

Given the absence of confirmation from reliable sources or statements from officiating bodies, it is reasonable to conclude that the alleged incident involving Michael Oliver and an apology letter to Manchester United likely did not happen.