Andy Madley banned from refereeing game after Liverpool announcement | Football | Sport
Referee Andy Madley has been announced as the referee for Liverpool’s clash with Nottingham Forest when they resume Premier League duties at Anfield this weekend. The 42-year-old was embroiled in several contentious officiating decisions during top-flight matches last season, including one fixture that infuriated Reds’ head coach Arne Slot.
The Dutchman confronted the official during Liverpool‘s 3-3 draw with Newcastle in December 2024, alongside numerous other prominent incidents throughout last season. Madley will be hoping for a considerably calmer affair at Anfield this weekend for the fixture against Sean Dyche’s outfit.
Here Express Sport examines the incidents involving the official that have caused concern in recent months…
Arne Slot fumes at Madley
Madley frustrated Liverpool boss Slot during the Reds’ draw with Eddie Howe’s team last season. The Dutchman was spotted having words with the referee as they proceeded down the tunnel at the interval, before being alleged to have entered Madley’s changing room to confront him.
Amazon Prime presenter Dan Walker commented during the broadcast: “We do know that Arne Slot went to see him at the break, after 45 minutes, and obviously, Eddie Howe wasn’t best pleased about that. I’m sure there’s going to be more said and more written and more spoken about that in the future.”
However, it is understood that this incident did not occur, despite Slot and Madley having a conversation in the tunnel. It’s also believed that nothing inappropriate was said by the Liverpool manager during their brief exchange.
Amazon Prime later issued an apology to Slot, attributing the error to a production misunderstanding.
When questioned about the incident later in the day, Howe responded: “I don’t think I’ll go there because I think that’s a can of worms that I should not [open].”
Ban from officiating matches
Like all referees, they must maintain impartiality, which means there are certain matches Madley is prohibited from refereeing. The 42-year-old is barred from overseeing games involving Huddersfield Town due to his support for the Terriers.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has a rule preventing referees or their assistants from officiating matches involving the team they support, to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
Officials are not assigned to matches involving their nearest geographical club. These rules are not imposed by FIFA or the FA, but are internal regulations enforced by the PGMOL to safeguard the integrity of the game.
Statement from Howard Webb
Last season, PGMOL chief and former Premier League referee Howard Webb was compelled to issue a statement defending Madley’s choice not to rule out Newcastle‘s equaliser in their 2-1 victory over Tottenham.
The ball had struck the arm of Magpies midfielder Joelinton in the build-up to the goal.
The ball then dropped to Bruno Guimaraes, who subsequently set up Anthony Gordon for the goal.
“There’s no doubt, the ball does strike Joelinton’s hand, and then the goal is scored fairly quickly afterwards,” Webb said. “But Joelinton doesn’t score the goal. The ball goes to Guimaraes I believe and then it goes to Gordon, who scores.
“Of course, we can only penalise handball in certain circumstances. Not every contact with the hand or arm on the ball is something we would penalise. We see this situation and the VAR describes it really well. Joelinton’s arm [is] in a really normal position as he’s moving and then when the ball does strike him from quite close range, it’s down by his side. The ball hits the arm and then ricochets off.
“He doesn’t move the arm in the direction of the ball. The arm is moving naturally. He doesn’t, importantly, make himself unnaturally bigger. His arm is close to his body so that’s not a handball offence. He wouldn’t be penalised with a penalty [against him] if he did that in his own penalty area.
“The only time he’d ever be penalised for that is if he scored immediately from that contact or if it [the ball] went directly in off that particular arm but that’s not what happens here. So we agree it’s not a handball offence.
“Tottenham might feel unlucky [because of] the way the ricochet played out and the goal was scored. But the laws of the game stipulate quite clearly that position isn’t something that you would penalise.”
Manchester United outrage
Madley has caused controversy during numerous matches involving Manchester United, notably during Everton’s 2-2 draw with Ruben Amorim‘s squad at Goodison Park in February.
David Moyes’ team were refused a stoppage-time spot-kick and potentially all three points after Ashley Young fell in the penalty area following contact with both Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt.
Madley initially granted the penalty before VAR reversed the decision with jeers echoing around Goodison.
United escaped any FA sanctions despite their official X account posting “Justice” after the game. Rio Ferdinand also shared a pointed remark after being left unimpressed with Madley’s performance.
“Another battling performance… desire, willingness to fight as a team! Bet the ref’s gutted,” he wrote.
Harry Maguire ‘head loss’
Speaking after the aforementioned Everton match, United defender Harry Maguire confessed that he lost his cool when Madley awarded the penalty. The absence of VAR only added to the defender’s frustration – especially since he was the one who had conceded the penalty.
“At the time when he gave it… my initial instinct was that it will be alright, VAR will turn it over and then I clicked on in my head that VAR could not intervene,” Maguire admitted. “So that’s when my head went a little bit.
“He [Madley] probably looks back… he knows he got it wrong. That’s why we have VAR because in the big moments, we need them correct and it’s a tough gig if we don’t have help for them [referees].”
