PGMOL appoint referee for Arsenal vs Crystal Palace who once left Unai Emery ‘seething’

The Premier League title race delivered more drama in game week eight as Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool continued their battle at the top.

When Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United, there were celebrations in North London and in Manchester.

Man City beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday afternoon, thanks to Erling Haaland’s winner, before Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Fulham to move three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

A second-half strike from Leandro Trossard clinched all three points for the Gunners at Craven Cottage, with the Belgian coming up clutch once more.

Arsenal now host Crystal Palace on Sunday, October 26, after their midweek Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.

Referee Thomas Bramall
Credit: Imago

Thomas Bramall appointed referee for Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

Thomas Bramall has been appointed referee for the Gunners clash against the Eagles, while Chris Kavanagh is on VAR duty.

Bramall made his debut in 2022 and has regularly officiated in the Premier League and EFL, but has never refereed an Arsenal game.

Supporters will therefore not know what to expect; however, the 35-year-old does have a chequered history, as former boss Unai Emery will testify.

In Aston Villa’s clash against Manchester United on the final day of the 2024/25 season, Bramall cost them Champions League qualification with an error he made at Old Trafford.

Morgan Rogers saw his celebrations cut short after he nabbed the ball from goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and turned it into an empty net.

Controversially, Bramall penalised Rogers for a foul on Bayindir, even though a closer inspection revealed that the United stopper did not appear to have two hands firmly planted on the ball at any point.

And crucially, the referee’s whistle was blown before the ball hit the net, which denied VAR the opportunity to intervene and overturn the decision.

The Express reported that Emery was ‘seething’ with the decision, and even confronted Bramall at full-time after the decision cost his side a place in the Champions League following goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen.

Villa ended up filing a complaint against the PGMOL, feeling that a more experienced official should have been appointed to officiate the game, given what was at stake.

Mikel Arteta on the sidelines for Arsenal
Credit: Imago

Arsenal’s recent record against Crystal Palace

Mikel Arteta will be praying that no big decisions go against his side this weekend as the Gunners aim to hold onto top spot.

Palace will pose difficult opponents, though, as Oliver Glasner’s men are notoriously good against the big six, having already secured a victory over Liverpool this season.

That being said, Arsenal have won six of their last seven meetings against the Eagles, including a 5-1 victory at Selhurst Park last term

DateFixtureW/D/LScorelineCompetition
05 Aug 2022Crystal Palace v ArsenalW0-2Premier League
19 Mar 2023Arsenal v Crystal PalaceW4-1Premier League
21 Aug 2023Crystal Palace v ArsenalW0-1Premier League
20 Jan 2024Arsenal v Crystal PalaceW5-0Premier League
18 Dec 2024Arsenal v Crystal PalaceW3-2League Cup
21 Dec 2024Crystal Palace v ArsenalW1-5Premier League
23 Apr 2025Arsenal v Crystal PalaceD2-2Premier League

Indeed, if the North London club have ambitions of proving Matt Le Tissier’s Premier League title prediction wrong, they have to secure victory at the Emirates.