10 Worst Refereeing Decisions in Premier League History [Ranked]

Premier League referees operate under immense pressure, tasked with making split-second decisions that can shape the outcome of matches and even entire seasons. A single incorrect call can be the difference between victory and defeat, sparking controversy and debate among players, fans, and pundits alike.

Despite the introduction of VAR, officiating mistakes remain a hot topic, with several high-profile blunders causing uproar over the years. From Myles-Skelly’s controversial red card against Wolves to Andre Marriner’s infamous case of mistaken identity involving Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs, the Premier League has seen its fair share of shocking refereeing errors.

Ranking Factors:

• Reaction – The response from players, managers, and fans to the referee's decision.
• Uniqueness – How rare or common the mistake is within the sport.
• Impact – The significance of the decision and its effect on the match, season, or competition.

10. Myles Lewis-Skelly Red Card

Wolves 0-1 Arsenal (2024/25)

With Arsenal chasing three crucial points to stay in the title race with Liverpool, going down to ten men was the last thing Mikel Arteta’s side needed. Just before half-time, Myles Lewis-Skelly halted a Wolves counter-attack with a tactical trip near the edge of the opposition’s penalty area—an obvious yellow-card offense at worst.

Expecting to be booked, the Arsenal youngster casually jogged away, only to turn around in disbelief as referee Michael Oliver brandished a straight red card. A stunned Lewis-Skelly pleaded his case, visibly confused by the decision, but the call stood.

Despite the controversial dismissal, Arsenal held their ground and secured the win, with Ricardo Calafiori netting the decisive goal at Molineux.

9. Nani Bizarre Open Goal

Manchester United 2-0 Tottenham (2010/11)

When you think of Nani, words like skill, instinct, and creativity come to mind—qualities that were on full display in his unforgettable goal against Tottenham.

With Manchester United leading 1-0, Nani went down in the box, convinced he had been fouled by Younes Kaboul. Expecting a penalty, he instinctively grabbed the ball with his hand, but referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on. Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, assuming a free-kick had been given, casually placed the ball down, unaware that the game was still live. Seizing the opportunity, Nani snuck in and slotted the ball into an empty net, doubling United’s lead.

The bizarre sequence led to furious protests from Spurs players, but the goal stood, securing all three points for Manchester United in one of the Premier League’s most controversial moments.

8. Darren Bent Beach Ball Goal

Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland (2009/10)

Darren Bent’s infamous beach ball goal remains one of the strangest moments in Premier League history. While most football fans remember the controversy surrounding the unexpected object on the pitch, many may not realize the clear officiating error that followed.

As Bent’s shot struck the beach ball and deflected past Pepe Reina into the net, the goal should have been disallowed. According to the laws of the game, play was disrupted by an ‘outside interference,’ meaning the match should have been stopped and restarted with a drop ball. However, referee Mike Jones allowed the goal to stand—a mistake he immediately recognized. Bent later recalled seeing the panic in the officials’ eyes at halftime as they realized the magnitude of their error.

Bent said: "I remember the referee's face at half-time when he came to see me. He said 'did it hit the ball?'. When I said, 'Yeah', there was panic in his face. He realised he'd made a bit of a mistake!"

7. Rodri Handball

Everton 0-1 Manchester City (2021/22)

In February 2022, the Premier League title race between Manchester City and Liverpool was reaching a boiling point. With City narrowly leading Everton at Goodison Park after a Phil Foden goal, Pep Guardiola’s side knew that dropping points would give Liverpool a golden opportunity to close the gap.

Late in the game, controversy struck when Rodri appeared to handle the ball inside the penalty area. Everton players and fans were convinced it was a clear penalty, but despite VAR reviewing the incident, the officials decided against awarding it. The decision sparked outrage on social media, with many arguing it had major implications for the title race.

After the match, the Premier League later clarified that Rodri’s handball did not meet the criteria for a penalty under the laws of the game—though that explanation did little to calm the frustration of Everton and Liverpool supporters alike.

"It should've been a penalty." 

Dermot Gallagher says the referee should've been sent to the monitor when Rodri was deemed to commit a handball against Everton #RefWatch pic.twitter.com/Tqzlx9hAoT

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 28, 2022

6. Jan Vertonghen Own-Half Offside

Tottenham 2-1 Sunderland (2014/15)

The offside rule is one of the most fundamental aspects of football, with a key principle being that a player cannot be offside in their own half. However, during a match at White Hart Lane, the officials seemed to overlook this basic rule when Jan Vertonghen’s goal was incorrectly ruled out.

With Tottenham leading 2-1 deep into stoppage time, Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon had pushed forward for a last-minute corner. When the attack broke down, Spurs launched a swift counter-attack, and Vertonghen was played through on goal. With no defenders or goalkeeper in sight, he calmly slotted the ball into the empty net—only for the assistant referee to raise his flag for offside.

The Belgian, who had clearly been inside his own half when receiving the ball, was left stunned by the decision. Despite the blatant mistake, Tottenham still secured the win, though the incident remains one of the most baffling officiating errors in Premier League history.

5. Christian Norgaard Offside Assist

Arsenal 1-1 Brentford (2022/23)

One of the main advantages of VAR is its ability to make precise offside decisions by using calibrated lines. However, in February 2023, Brentford’s equaliser against Arsenal was wrongly allowed due to a critical officiating error—the necessary lines were never drawn.

The officials focused on Ethan Pinnock, who was onside but not directly involved in the play, while completely overlooking Christian Norgaard, who was in an offside position when he assisted Ivan Toney’s goal. This costly mistake, later admitted by PGMOL, denied Arsenal the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table by eight points, adding another chapter to the long list of controversial VAR decisions.

4. Orjan Nyland Hawk-Eye Mistake

Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United (2019/20)

Goal-line technology is designed to provide consistent and accurate decisions, but even the most reliable systems can fail. In a crucial match for relegation-threatened Aston Villa, luck was on their side when goalkeeper Orjan Nyland carried the ball over his own goal line after an Oliver Norwood free-kick.

Sheffield United players immediately began celebrating, but referee Michael Oliver never received a signal indicating a goal. Replays later confirmed that the ball had clearly crossed the line and should have been awarded as a goal. Hawk-Eye, the company behind the technology, later issued an apology, admitting it was the first error in over 9,000 games.

Aston Villa ultimately survived relegation, and this moment remains a significant talking point in their dramatic escape.

3. Ben Thatcher Elbow

Manchester City 0-0 Portsmouth (2006/07)

Back in 2006, referees had no assistance from VAR or video reviews—every decision was made in real time on the pitch. This led to one of the most shocking officiating mistakes in Premier League history during a match between Manchester City and Portsmouth.

After Pedro Mendes cleared the ball, Ben Thatcher recklessly charged at him, delivering a brutal elbow to his face. The impact was so severe that Mendes required hospital treatment, yet the referee only issued a yellow card for the challenge.

The incident sparked outrage, and Manchester City took their own disciplinary action, suspending Thatcher and fining him two weeks’ wages. It remains one of the most infamous unpunished fouls in the league’s history.

Mendes said: "The moment was terrible. After the incident, I do not remember anything after that until I was in hospital. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my career."

2. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs Mix-up

Chelsea 6-0 Arsenal (2015/16)

In a fiery London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal, referee Andre Marriner made one of the most infamous mistakes in Premier League history. After Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deliberately handled the ball to block an Eden Hazard shot, Marriner correctly awarded Chelsea a penalty—but inexplicably sent off Kieran Gibbs instead.

Despite Oxlade-Chamberlain immediately admitting to the referee that he was the guilty party, Marriner refused to overturn his decision, leaving Gibbs stunned as he was shown a red card. The blunder only added to Arsenal’s misery, as they went on to suffer a humiliating 6-0 defeat.

1. Luis Diaz Offside Goal

Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool (2023/24)

You’d think it would be difficult for professionals to disallow such an obviously fair goal, yet they still managed it. In September 2023, Luis Díaz found the back of the net for Liverpool against Tottenham, only for his goal to be wrongly ruled out. The Colombian international had beaten Guglielmo Vicario to put his side ahead, but the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

During the VAR review, the drawn lines clearly showed that Díaz was onside and that the goal should have stood. However, the officials at Stockley Park mistakenly thought referee Simon Hooper had awarded the goal on the field and, believing they were confirming the correct decision, instructed him to stick with his initial call.

By the time they realised their mistake, play had already resumed, meaning protocol prevented them from correcting the error. With the game still at 0-0, Liverpool were left to rue the blunder, and Tottenham eventually snatched all three points in the dying minutes—a result that could have been very different had VAR functioned properly.