Controversial Ref Hooper to Oversee Man Utd vs Arsenal Clash

The referee overseeing Manchester United's clash against Arsenal has previously caused controversy at Old Trafford (Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Veteran Premier League referee Simon Hooper is set to officiate Manchester United 's opening-day showdown with Arsenal . United are gearing up to host the Gunners at Old Trafford on Sunday, where both teams could be missing a number of talents for the curtain-raiser.

Mikel Arteta 's men head to the Theatre of Dreams on the back of a very active summer, albeit with some mixed fortunes in pre-season. Marquee signing Viktor Gyokeres could make his Premier League debut at Old Trafford , though not for the team former Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim might have hoped.

Likewise, the Red Devils have had an upbeat summer both on and off the field, welcoming four new signings and maintaining an unbeaten streak in pre-season. Consequently, there's a renewed sense of optimism swirling around Old Trafford.

In anticipation of the Gunners' visit, the Premier League has confirmed seasoned referee Hooper will be overseeing the match. And some at Old Trafford will have mixed memories of the official from one particular showdown at the Theatre of Dreams.

Hooper has presided over nine United matches throughout his career, the most recent being the Red Devils' 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United last December. This was the only United match he refereed last season.

The 43-year-old has officiated more than 120 games in the Premier League during his career. However, Hooper found himself at the heart of a contentious decision when United narrowly bear Wolves 1-0 at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 campaign.

It was his decision not to award Wolves a penalty in the final moments of the game when United debutant Andre Onana collided with striker Sasa Kalajdzic while trying to intercept a cross. Onana came out of his goal area to claim a high cross but misdirected his jump and clattered into the Wolves frontman in the process.

Simon Hooper is in charge for Arsenal's first game of the Premier League campaign (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images.)

The visiting supporters could hardly believe they were denied a spot-kick and the chance to equalise in such a big fixture. Hooper was subsequently left out of the refereeing roster for the following weekend's fixtures, as he was taken out of the firing line.

Following the match, ex-Wolves manager Gary O'Neil revealed his side had received an apology from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) for Hooper's oversight in not awarding a penalty. In some ways, this will have only frustrated Wolves further, highlighting how fortunate United were to get away with all three points.

Hooper was in charge at Old Trafford when Andre Onana almost gave away a penalty in his Premier League debut (Image: Molly Darlington/Copa, Getty Images)

Fast forward to this weekend, and Hooper will be supported by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long, with Jarred Gillett acting as the fourth official. Paul Tierney will be handling VAR duties, with Steven Meredith appointed his assistant.

United will be hoping to stage an upset over last season's runners-up as they look to turn a new leaf under Amorim. The Portuguese tactician would be hard-pressed to do much worse than last term, though this will be his first full campaign at the United helm.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are out to escape a cycle of repeat second-place finishes in the Premier League. However, most UK pundits have backed the north Londoners for more of the same as they bid to end a 22-year drought without a league title.