Referee for Man Utd vs Arsenal got taken out of firing line over opening weekend controversy

Veteran Premier League referee Simon Hooper is set to oversee Manchester United's face-off with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday. United are gearing up to welcome the Gunners as they kick-off their Premier League campaign with a difficult first test.

The Red Devils have had a fruitful summer both on and off the pitch, welcoming four new signings and maintaining an unbeaten streak in pre-season. Consequently, there's a renewed sense of optimism swirling around Old Trafford as Ruben Amorim enters his first full season at the helm.

In anticipation of the Gunners' visit, the Premier League has confirmed seasoned ref Hooper will be in charge of the match. And he'll be as eager as anyone else to avoid major incident at the Theatre of Dreams.

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Hooper has presided over nine United matches throughout his career, the most recent being the Reds' 2-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford last December. This was the only United match he refereed last season, per the Manchester Evening News.

The 43-year-old has officiated more than 120 games in England's top flight during his career. But Hooper found himself at the heart of controversy when United edged out Wolves 1-0 at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 season.

It was his decision not to award Wolves a penalty in the dying moments of that match. All eyes turned to Hooper when United debutant Andre Onana collided with striker Sasa Kalajdzic while attempting to intercept a cross.

But the Cameroon international got his timing wrong and clattered into the Wolves frontman while aiming for the ball. The result was widespread furore, with then-Wolves boss Gary O'Neil among the most incensed.

O'Neil revealed after the match that the visiting team had received an apology from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). This was of course in relation to Hooper's failure to award a penalty, frustrating the team that they had been deprived a potential equaliser.

Hooper was subsequently dropped from the refereeing roster for the following weekend's fixtures, as he was taken out of the firing line.

As if the apology wasn't enough acknowledgement that he had got the call wrong, his omission from the next round of games only added to Wolves' frustration.

Hooper will be supported by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long at Old Trafford this Sunday, with Jarred Gillett acting as the fourth official. Paul Tierney will be handling VAR duties, assisted by Steven Meredith.

United haven't won a league fixture against the Gunners since September 2022, though they did knock them out of last term's FA Cup third round on penalties.

Despite rumours linking United with a move for PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma, Onana could still start between the posts at Old Trafford on Sunday after missing pre-season through injury.

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