Referee Sam Barrott's history with Arsenal's Martinelli and Eze ahead of Community Shield

Referee Sam Barrott has previous encounters with Arsenal players Gabriel Martinelli and Eberechi Eze as the Gunners prepare for their Community Shield match against Manchester City.

The 34-year-old was appointed as the main official for Sunday’s clash between the Premier League’s top two teams last month.

Barrott began officiating in the English top flight during the 2023/24 season after spending four years in lower divisions.

His introduction to the Premier League was challenging, as former Fulham manager Marco Silva stated that Barrott "didn't have the experience to handle the pressure" during Fulham's 3-0 loss to Newcastle in December 2023.

Silva was particularly frustrated that Barrott sent off Raul Jimenez just 22 minutes into the match, shortly after Jamaal Lascelles had caught the striker with an elbow.

Following the match, the Portuguese manager remarked: "It was a really strange performance from the referee from the first minute to the last minute. Lascelles clearly elbowed Raul and not even a foul. I'm not saying red card, but a clear foul. You need referees with experience and to be able to handle the pressure." When asked if he believed Barrott lacked experience, Silva simply replied: "Clearly, no doubt."

In the following season, Barrott found himself at the centre of controversy again during Crystal Palace's 2-1 defeat to Brentford in August 2024.

After the match, Eze claimed that the referee acknowledged he had blown the whistle early to disallow a goal he thought he had scored.

Eze believed he had given his side a 1-0 lead after scoring from a quick free-kick, but Barrott had already called for a foul by Will Hughes before the ball crossed the line.

This decision prevented VAR from intervening, and Palace faced further disappointment when replays suggested Hughes may have been fouled himself.

The south London side ultimately lost the match, with Eze explaining how Barrott had admitted his mistake.

He told Sky Sports: "The referee said he blew too early and made a mistake, so fair enough, everyone makes mistakes, but that was a goal that could have made the difference today. We feel a little bit [hard done by] because as he said, it was a mistake, but listen, we had so many other chances to score today, especially me, so one of those days and we just move on to the next one."

Barrott has quickly risen through the officiating ranks, being promoted to the Professional Referee Group and the FIFA list of international referees in the 2024/25 season.

Just three months after the match at Gtech Community Stadium, Barrott was selected to officiate Arsenal's significant encounter against Manchester United.

His rocky start was soon forgotten, as he has received praise for his decision-making on multiple occasions.

Andoni Iraola commended Barrott for allowing an advantage leading to Junior Kroupi's goal in Bournemouth's 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest last October.

He also received accolades for his performance in Everton's 3-0 win against Chelsea in March of this year.

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett noted: "After delivering a fair amount of criticism of the standard of the current PGMOL referees, it is pleasing to highlight the excellent performance of Samuel Barrott in charge of the Everton v Chelsea game today. He moved around the field of play with ease, achieving some very good viewing angles. His communication with the players appeared to be respectful, and his detection of offences was very good. Well done to him and his colleagues."

Barrott's performance in the Everton game came a month before he was involved in a controversial incident with Gabriel Martinelli during Arsenal's unexpected 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup.

The Premier League champions were pursuing an equaliser in the dying moments of the match following Shea Charles' 94th-minute goal.

Mikel Arteta's team was awarded a free-kick, and in Martinelli's eagerness to take it quickly, he pushed Barrott.

The 25-year-old received a yellow card, but former top-flight referee Mark Halsey argued that the winger should have been sent off for his actions.

Halsey commented to the Sun: "Referee Sam Barrott awarded a free-kick to Arsenal, Martinelli comes rushing in and he pushes Sam out of the way. Now I'm sorry, Gabriel Martinelli showed total disrespect for the match official Sam Barrott in that situation. Although Sam issued a yellow card, for me it's a red card. You just cannot put your hands on a referee, let alone push him out of the way."

Barrott's commendable performances have led to his appointment for the Community Shield, with Arteta aiming for his third victory in this match since taking over as Arsenal manager.

This match will also mark Enzo Maresca's first competitive game as Manchester City manager following the departure of Pep Guardiola this summer.

Source: Daily Mirror