I don’t understand why officials from Greater Manchester continue to be appointed to Liverpool matches, and when it comes to a game against Manchester City, I find it particularly difficult to understand the thinking behind it.
This isn’t about accusing an individual referee of being biased or suggesting that somebody cannot do their job professionally because of where they come from.
It is about common sense, public confidence and whether Pro Ref understands how these appointments look from the outside.
Gareth Roberts has raised exactly this issue, and I certainly don’t think he is alone in questioning the decision-making.
Why appoint a Greater Manchester referee for Liverpool against City?
The appointment of Chris Kavanagh for Liverpool’s meeting with Manchester City at Anfield raised plenty of eyebrows.
Kavanagh comes from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester. That is a geographical fact, not an accusation against the referee.
But surely somebody at Pro Ref must understand why supporters would question the appointment?
Liverpool and Manchester City have been involved in some enormous battles over the years. There is plenty of history, plenty of rivalry and, given the importance of recent meetings, often very little separating the teams.
These matches are frequently decided by fine margins. A controversial penalty, a red card or a disallowed goal can have a massive impact.
Why introduce an unnecessary talking point before the game has even started?
Pro Ref can insist that its officials are impartial, and I have no reason to claim that Kavanagh cannot referee professionally. But impartiality isn’t just about what happens on the pitch. It is also about maintaining the confidence of supporters and clubs.
That is where I think the organisation is getting it wrong.
Liverpool supporters have reasons to question refereeing standards
This issue doesn’t exist in isolation.
Liverpool supporters have a long memory when it comes to controversial officiating decisions.
We haven’t forgotten the Luis Díaz goal against Tottenham that was incorrectly ruled out for offside, or the controversy surrounding the disallowed Virgil van Dijk equaliser against Manchester City.
More recently, there have been further debates about refereeing decisions involving Liverpool, including the controversial dismissal of Ryan Gravenberch against City.
None of those incidents proves that an official is deliberately making decisions against Liverpool. But when controversial decisions keep becoming major talking points, supporters naturally want greater transparency and accountability.
And that is precisely why appointments need to be considered carefully.
Pro Ref needs to understand what supporters see
The organisation now operates under the name Professional Game Referees, or Pro Ref, and says its aim is to improve officiating standards and ensure the game has access to the best available officials.
That sounds good in theory.
But surely part of that responsibility is recognising the importance of public perception?
If an official comes from Greater Manchester, why put them in charge of a Liverpool versus Manchester City fixture when there are other qualified referees available?
It doesn’t mean that official would be biased. It simply means the appointment creates questions that could easily have been avoided.
And it isn’t just Liverpool supporters who should be concerned. Every club deserves to feel that the officials appointed to its biggest matches have been selected with independence and confidence in mind.
This is about protecting the credibility of the game
I don’t expect referees to get every decision right. Football is played at incredible speed, and mistakes will happen.
What I do expect is an organisation that learns from those mistakes, explains its decisions and does everything possible to protect confidence in the game.
Pro Ref cannot simply dismiss every concern by saying officials are professionals and must be trusted.
Trust has to be earned.
For me, appointing officials from Greater Manchester to Liverpool matches, especially against Manchester City, is an unnecessary risk to that trust.
There are plenty of referees available. Why create a controversy before a ball has even been kicked?
I am not suggesting that every official from Greater Manchester should be banned from refereeing Liverpool. That would be ridiculous. But for certain fixtures, particularly those involving Manchester City, a little more thought about the optics would go a long way.
Pro Ref needs to start thinking about how these appointments look, not just whether they can defend them on paper.
By Jamie
(The Kopite View)
You are saying exactly what you say you are not saying.