Liverpool fans have spoken out when Craig Pawson was named referee for their derby against Everton on Saturday (21 October).
Pawson will be assisted by Marc Perry and Wade Smith, as well as fourth official Thomas Bramall, according to the Premier League website.
The VAR official is David Coote, who will be aided by Stuart Burt.
During his refereeing career, Pawson has officiated 36 Liverpool matches, with the Reds winning 25 of them.
He previously presided over the Merseyside derby in 2017, when his penalty award helped Everton earn a 1-1 draw after Mohamed Salah broke the stalemate at Anfield.
One supporter decried the country’s dearth of professional referees, claiming that Mark Clattenburg was the “last decent official” in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, another fan expressed concern that the derby will be a “long afternoon” with Pawson and Coote in control.
Some supporters were similarly critical of Coote’s participation in the VAR room, but were more positive about Pawson’s participation.
Another fan is concerned that Pawson and his officiating crew will make Saturday’s big game “all about them.”
One fan also criticized Coote’s selection, alleging that the PGMOL “are definitely trying to hit back” at Jurgen Klopp.
His previous VAR appearance in the Merseyside derby saw Virgil van Dijk suffer a catastrophic injury in a 2-2 draw in October 2020.
Leave a Reply