Michael Oliver has ‘no excuse’ for Crystal Palace v Millwall Mateta controversy
Richard Keys has blasted Michael Oliver for his “ineptitude” as Crystal Palace beat Millwall in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The FA Cup meeting between the London rivals was set up for a brilliant clash at Selhurst Park, with the atmosphere booming even before kick-off, and it was not long before controversy filled the air on 1 March.
The Lions’ goalkeeper, Liam Roberts, flew out of his penalty area in an attempt to clear the ball, only to make contact with Jean-Philippe Mateta‘s face in mid-air, leaving him on the floor and needing medical attention.
Keith Hackett has already slammed Oliver for how he dealt with the situation, requiring a VAR review before dishing out a red card, and that same view is shared by those on social media.
Michael Oliver under heavy fire after dangerous incident
Taking to X [1 March], Keys wrote: “It’s scary how bad our officials are now. How can it take two minutes at the monitor to realise what everybody else knew straight away? That was red.
“Of course, it was red. That was Schumacher all over again. There’s no excuse for this ineptitude.”
VAR can be an incredibly useful tool for referees if used correctly, but with Oliver needing a review before sending Roberts off for kicking another player in the face, it seems there could be an over-reliance on the technology.
Oliver Glasner surely sweating over Crystal Palace striker
Supporters have every right to be furious with the injury to Mateta, especially given how key he has been to the Eagles this season with 12 Premier League goals to his name.
Mateta is already attracting interest from the likes of Man United, and given his performance so far this term, it is only a wonder why more teams are not queueing up for his signature.
| Jean-Philippe Mateta’s Premier League goals | Season |
| 12 | 2024/25 |
| 16 | 2023/24 |
| 2 | 2022/23 |
While Palace are unlikely to be vying for a spot in European competitions ahead of next season, sitting 12th in the Premier League table, there is still plenty to play for.
A spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals is a good start, and attempting to climb as far up the league table as possible will be another aim, but that will be made much harder if Mateta is unavailable for any length of time.
There is absolutely no excuse as to why Oliver delayed handing out a red card, even with just eight minutes on the clock, and the referee has only brought the criticism upon himself in this incident.