Arsenal vs. Tottenham referee: Past controversies, record in charge of both teams ahead of North London derby

A fitting way to welcome back Premier League football following the final international instalment of 2025, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur scrap it out in a tantalising North London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

For the Gunners, the head-to-head represents a prime opportunity to reaffirm their status as the team to beat in the top flight, where they still boast a healthy lead atop the standings despite their agonising draw with Sunderland last time out.

Arsenal can also win four straight North London derbies for the first time since 1989 thanks to their recent dominance of their bitter rivals, who will move to within five points of Mikel Arteta's men with victory on enemy territory.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the referee and VAR teams confirmed to be taking charge of this weekend's headline fixture.

Michael Oliver appointed referee for Arsenal vs. Tottenham

The experienced Michael Oliver will be the man in the middle for this weekend's showdown between Arsenal and Tottenham, in what will be his 408th match in the top flight of English football.

The 40-year-old has brandished 1,333 yellow cards during his Premier League career - an average of just over four per game - while also dishing out 34 straight reds and 23 sending-offs for second yellows.

This season, Oliver has produced 22 bookings and one double-yellow card from nine Premier League games, and he has also awarded one penalty kick.

Michael Oliver's record and past controversies in previous Arsenal matches

News of Oliver's appointment did not go down well with Gooners, who have seen their side win 31, draw 13 and lose 18 of their games with the 40-year-old overseeing operations.

Oliver has dished out a total of 109 yellow cards against Arsenal, his most against a single team - closely followed by 106 to Everton - as well as four straight reds, another personal high.

One of the latter infamously came at Molineux last season, when Myles Lewis-Skelly was inexplicably sent for an early bath for a challenge on Matt Doherty, which led to Oliver receiving death threats and a police investigation - Lewis-Skelly's red card was ultimately overturned.

The Englishman also memorably brandished two yellows to Gabriel Martinelli within a few seconds of each other at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2021-22 season - one for delaying a throw-in and the other for a foul soon after.

Arsenal fans also had a bone to pick with Oliver for not sending off Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic for a perceived second bookable offence in 2023 - Howard Webb admitted that the Croatian was "extremely fortunate" to stay on.

Before controversy took over, Oliver refereed the 2014 Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City, which the Gunners won 3-0.

Michael Oliver's record and past controversies in previous Tottenham matches

In contrast, Oliver has taken charge of 52 Spurs games down the years and has been involved in 28 wins for the Lilywhites, as well as 11 draws and 13 defeats.

The referee has booked Spurs players on 90 occasions, in addition to sending off three Tottenham men for second yellows and dismissing two for straight red-card offences.

Two of those red cards came in one chaotic London derby with Chelsea in 2023, where Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie both took the walk of shame either side of the half-time whistle.

Oliver coincidentally sent off Erik Lamela for two bookable offences in this exact fixture during the 2020-21 season, soon after the Argentine had opened the scoring with a Puskas-worthy Rabona goal.

The 40-year-old was also lambasted by Spurs fans for his performance in their 3-2 home loss to Arsenal in 2024, where he made 'continuous mistakes', according to Tottenham Hotspur News.

Stuart Attwell appointed VAR for Arsenal vs. Tottenham

From the Emirates field to Stockley Park, Stuart Attwell will be on VAR duty for Arsenal vs. Spurs, where Constantine Hatzidakis will be his assistant.

Attwell has only taken charge of 22 Arsenal games as a referee, most recently the 1-1 draw with Manchester City in September, his first Gunners game for two years after their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United in 2023 - the unforgettable "disgrace" match in Arteta's view.

Meanwhile, Attwell last refereed Tottenham's EFL Cup semi-final first-leg victory over Liverpool last year, and the Lilywhites have won their last seven games which he has been the man in the middle for.