Michael Oliver jokes with Tottenham's Conor Gallagher in Man United ref cam footage

Ref Cam footage from the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Tottenham captured an amusing exchange between referee Michael Oliver and midfielder Conor Gallagher

Michael Oliver was caught making a sharp-witted remark at Conor Gallagher's expense following an exchange with the Tottenham player and Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes. The incident occurred during the Premier League encounter between the two sides over the weekend, which featured 'Ref Cam,' a point-of-view camera designed to capture what the match official sees on the pitch in real time.

PGMOL, the referees' governing body, has deployed this technology on several occasions in an effort to provide transparency around the challenging role officials undertake on the pitch, whilst also attempting to humanise them at a time when many face online abuse.

One particular moment from the footage captured an exchange between Oliver, Gallagher and Fernandes during the fixture at Old Trafford. Whilst Fernandes appeared to be appealing to the referee regarding a decision, Gallagher approached and remarked "I nearly scored," gesturing towards the goal.

Oliver swiftly responded with a quip: "With a better first touch, you would have done," eliciting laughter from those involved.

It proved an entertaining moment from some unusual footage, revealing the on-pitch relationship between the players and the referee throughout the contest.

Naturally, Oliver played a pivotal role in the match when he issued a red card to Cristian Romero for a reckless challenge on Casemiro after 29 minutes.

That proved to be a pivotal moment in the contest, as Bryan Mbeumo found the net within 10 minutes of that dismissal, before Fernandes wrapped up proceedings with a second strike in the closing 10 minutes of the second period.

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The result ultimately secured a fourth consecutive victory for Michael Carrick in his interim role, before his team salvaged a late equaliser against West Ham to maintain an undefeated record under the caretaker manager.

With no FA Cup commitments following an early elimination at the hands of Brighton, United will be awaiting their return to Premier League duty.

They face Everton on Monday, 23rd February, affording another 11 days of rest and preparation before stepping onto the pitch once more.

"We'll stay in Manchester," Carrick revealed regarding the squad's plans during this period. "It's a chance to refresh a little bit, we have a few knocks and a few niggles.

"We have a few strains we would like to clean up, as well it will be good to have a little breather, and to digest where we're at after this period.

"We need to clear our heads, do some good work, take a deep breath and to come back even stronger. It's a strange one, 13 days, but we'll look to make the most of it."

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