Manchester City recorded its highest Premier League win rate under referee Craig Pawson over the past three seasons, according to research examining match results and officiating across England’s top-flight competition.
The analysis by ticket comparison platform SeatPick reviewed all 1,140 Premier League matches played during the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons. Researchers recorded the referee assigned to each match, along with cards and penalties.
For Manchester City, the data covered 114 Premier League matches handled by 21 different referees. The club won 63.2% of those games overall, providing a benchmark for comparing its results under individual officials.
Manchester City Wins Six of Seven Games Under Craig Pawson
Manchester City won six of the seven Premier League matches refereed by Pawson during the three-season period. The club lost the other match and recorded no draws, resulting in an 85.7% win rate.
That was Manchester City’s highest win percentage among referees who handled at least five of the club’s Premier League games during the period examined.
Paul Tierney ranked next based on the historical results, with Manchester City winning four of five matches under his supervision. The remaining game ended in a draw, producing an 80% win rate.
Jarred Gillett oversaw nine City matches, with the club recording seven victories and two draws for a 77.8% win rate. City did not lose any of those nine games.
Andy Madley refereed eight Manchester City matches, with the club winning six, drawing one and losing one. That represented a 75% win rate.
Darren England handled seven matches, with City recording five victories, one draw and one defeat, equivalent to a 71.4% win rate.
Results Vary Across Premier League Referees
Manchester City’s record under several other officials was closer to its overall performance during the three-season period.
The club won four of six matches refereed by Robert Jones, producing a 66.7% win rate. City recorded identical 62.5% win rates under Chris Kavanagh and John Brooks, winning five of eight matches with each referee.
Under Peter Bankes, Manchester City won four and lost three of seven matches, giving the club a 57.1% win rate.
Anthony Taylor refereed Manchester City more often than any other official included in the research. Taylor handled 13 of the club’s Premier League games, with City recording six victories, four draws and three defeats. That translated to a 46.2% win rate.
Simon Hooper oversaw five Manchester City matches. The club won two and drew three without suffering a defeat, resulting in a 40% win rate.
Michael Oliver handled 12 matches, the second-highest total among officials who refereed at least five Manchester City games. City won four, drew five and lost three of those matches, producing a 33.3% win rate, the lowest in the qualifying group.
Study Covers Three Premier League Seasons
SeatPick’s research extended across the Premier League, analyzing referee assignments and club results over three complete seasons. The findings compare historical outcomes but do not establish that individual referees were responsible for differences in a club’s results.
The figures also show the importance of sample size when assessing referee-related statistics. Pawson’s 85.7% Manchester City win rate, for example, was based on seven matches, compared with the club’s broader record across 114 league games.
Gilad Zilberman, CEO of SeatPick, commented on the findings:
“Going to a match costs supporters a lot, and the referee can shape that afternoon as much as anyone on the pitch. Our analysis shows real differences in how often referees award penalties and show cards, but nothing to suggest any referee’s record with a particular club is more than the luck of the draw.”
The data highlights substantial differences in Manchester City’s historical results under individual Premier League referees. However, the study itself cautions against treating those variations as evidence of favoritism or bias, with the figures reflecting match outcomes across a limited three-season sample.
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