Michael Oliver will not officiate in the Premier League this weekend as English football's top-flight resumes in the wake of the Manchester City guilty verdict. Oliver is regarded as one of the best referees in the country, but he won't take charge of any fixture this weekend, having refereed in every game week prior to this one.
Rotation and international duty
He was also in action during the international break, taking charge of Italy's 4-1 win over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League. It's also routine for Pro Ref to rotate officials throughout the season, and referees regularly take a weekend off.
Chris Kavanagh will take charge of the high profile clash between City and Liverpool, with Enzo Maresca's side in action for the first time since the aforementioned verdict. City were found guilty of all but one of the charges put to them by the Premier League, but appealed that verdict before the deadline.
Maresca's backing for City
In his recent press conference, Maresca made it clear that he felt City's titles remain untarnished as he expressed his absolute faith in the club on Friday. The Italian boss is firmly convinced that City will succeed in their appeal after being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations.
Maresca stopped short of fully committing to staying at the Etihad Stadium should the appeal prove unsuccessful, but made clear he was not getting ahead of himself. The 46-year-old, appointed as Pep Guardiola's successor in the summer, insists he would still have taken the role had the verdict been known at the time.
Speaking to external media for the first time since last week's ruling, Maresca said: "The reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust, 100 per cent, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, the whole organisation. I don't have any doubt about that.
"There is not another club in the world where I would like to be. I am very happy to be here, I am very proud, as I've said since day one. I would like to speak about this situation when we are going to win the appeal. I completely trust the club in this moment, in the future, always."
Potential punishments and Oliver's other duties
City face the prospect of severe punishments, including substantial points deductions or even relegation, if the verdict is ultimately upheld.
Oliver, who won't be in top-flight action this weekend, was one of the referees who officiated in the UAE, overseeing a clash between Sharjah and Al-Ain in the UAE Pro League, which is state backed. Man City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is on the board for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the league's main sponsor.
