Arsenal furious with ANOTHER referee, as North London Derby appointment sparks controversy

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

The first north London derby of the season takes place on Sunday as Arsenal make the short trip over to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The match is always a lively affair and one of the most competitively fought fixtures in the Premier League calendar, with the match officials always in for a busy afternoon.

But as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta welcomes back his international players and prepares for the clash, he may not be best pleased with the refereeing appointment.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 31: Declan Rice of Arsenal interacts with match referee Chris Kavanagh after being shown a second yellow card during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Declan Rice was sent off in controversial circumstances in Arsenal's last league game (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Premier League have appointed Jarred Gillett for the match, with the Australian a familiar figure for the Gunners, with this already being his second Arsenal match of the season.

Gillett has overseen a number of controversial incidents when taking charge of Arsenal matches, including the season-opening match against Wolves, where he declined to send off Yerson Mosquera for grabbing Kai Havertz around the throat.

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Arsenal fans were left dumbfounded when Gillett did not take any action against the Wolves and then the VAR did not intervene. Mosquera then tussled with Gabriel Jesus, grabbing the Brazilian on the posterior, which led to Jesus being booked for his reaction.

Last season saw Gillett disallow a last-minute Havertz goal against Aston Villa, with the Gunners claiming that the referee did not have a clear view of the incident.

Referee Jarred Gillett

Referee Jarred Gillett (Image credit: Alamy)

Arsenal fans have been stewing over another refereeing decision during the international break, after Chris Kavanagh controversially sent off Declan Rice against Brighton last time out.

Rice will miss the north London derby through suspension, with skipper Martin Odegaard also set to miss out after suffering an injury on international duty with Norway, while summer signing Mikel Merino is still sidelined with a shoulder injury that he suffered in his first training session with the club.

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Joe Mewis

For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.