Premier League referee Andy Madley is set for an awkward reunion at Anfield this weekend as he takes charge of Liverpool's clash with Nottingham Forest. The 42-year-old official, who was at the centre of multiple contentious decisions last season, previously angered Liverpool manager Arne Slot during a dramatic 3-3 draw with Newcastle United.
The St. James' Park Confrontation
During Liverpool's visit to Newcastle in December 2024, tensions flared between Madley and the new Reds boss. The Dutch manager was seen having strong words with the official as they headed down the tunnel at half-time, with initial reports suggesting Slot had entered Madley's changing room to challenge him.
Amazon Prime host Dan Walker stated during coverage: "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."
However, Liverpool's local publication, the ECHO, later clarified that this incident did not occur, despite the verbal exchange in the tunnel. It's understood that nothing inappropriate was said by Slot during their brief conversation. Amazon Prime subsequently issued an apology to the Liverpool manager, attributing the error to a production misunderstanding.
Controversial Decisions and Fan Backlash
Madley's officiating has repeatedly sparked controversy across the Premier League. Manchester United supporters demanded his dismissal during their FA Cup third-round penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in January 2025.
The Gunners were awarded what many considered a soft penalty after Kai Havertz fell in the box, with contact appearing minimal. United fans flooded social media with criticism, though they felt justice was served when goalkeeper Altay Bayindir saved the subsequent spot-kick.
One fan declared on X: "The referee has been appalling. Sack him," while another wrote: "Can we sack Madley at half time? This referee performance is a HORROR SHOW."
United escaped FA sanctions despite their official X account posting "Justice" after the match, while Rio Ferdinand added a pointed remark: "Another battling performance... desire, willingness to fight as a team! Bet the ref's gutted."
Maguire's Honest Admission
United defender Harry Maguire made a surprising confession after the Arsenal match, acknowledging he lost his composure when Madley awarded the controversial penalty. With no VAR available for the fixture, the England international's frustration boiled over.
Maguire revealed: "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 in my head that VAR could not intervene. So that's when my head went a little bit."
The defender added: "He 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."
Webb's Defence and Rules Explained
PGMOL chief Howard Webb was forced to publicly defend Madley's decision not to disqualify Newcastle's equaliser in their 2-1 victory over Tottenham last season. The ball had struck the arm of Joelinton during the build-up before Bruno Guimaraes set up Anthony Gordon for the goal.
Webb explained: "There's no doubt, the ball does strike Joelinton's hand, and then the goal is scored fairly quickly afterwards. But Joelinton doesn't score the goal."
He elaborated that not every contact with the hand or arm constitutes a handball offence, stating: "His arm is close to his body so that's not a handball offence. He wouldn't be penalised with a penalty if he did that in his own penalty area."
Like all Premier League referees, Madley operates under strict PGMOL regulations that prevent him from officiating matches involving Huddersfield Town due to his support for the Terriers. Officials are also not assigned to games involving their nearest geographical club to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.
As Madley prepares for his Anfield return, all eyes will be on whether this weekend's encounter proves less contentious than his previous encounters with Liverpool's manager and some of the Premier League's biggest clubs.
