Having previewed the fixtures, the strategy and, of course, the players to watch in the build up to this busy Easter period, it’s now the turn of the referees. With back-to-back games across the weekend, there are some juicy scenarios on the horizon and, of course, an old favourite to start.
Mike Dean
In the next edition of ‘Deanwatch’, our intrepid hero make his way to the Reebok Stadium as Bolton hope to continue their upward curve against notoriously travel-sick Fulham. Fresh from a penalty in their last outing – dispatched by watchlister Martin Petrov – the Trotters will certainly be hoping Mike Dean unleashes his specialty in their favour and add to the total of 12 penalties he’s already awarded this term.
For the visitors, we could see regular taker Danny Murphy stepping up if the chance comes or, as the former Liverpool man has been in and out of Martin Jol’s team lately, the ever-reliable (though rather less so away from home) Clint Dempsey could be the man. Don’t hold your breath here, however, as of the 4 penalties awarded to Fulham this season, 3 of them have been at home, while the solitary away one was missed by none other than the aforementioned American.
Dean’s second match over the Easter period sees him roll up to Aston Villa on Monday evening, where Stoke pay visit to Alex McLeish’s side. Keep an eye out, then, for the likes of Jon Walters for the visitors and, in the absence of regular taker Darren Bent, Barry Bannan could come to the fore, if he maintains his recent starting role.
Lee Mason
Next up in our run down, we have Bolton whistler Lee Mason. A run through his stats tell us that he is pretty light on the cards (2.65 yellows per game and no red cards in 20), but it’s his penalty numbers that prick the ears. With eight spot-kicks in those 20 games (0.4 per game), Mason sits third – behind only penalty king Dean (0.5 per game) and new pretender John Moss (0.78 per game) – in the charts.
When the referee appointments were announced on Monday, then, it was intriguing to see Mason given the reins for United’s home game with QPR on Sunday and City’s Etihad clash with West Brom on Wednesday night – the Manchester sides sit first and second for penalties awarded so far, with nine and eight respectively in their favour.
With that in mind, the upcoming Gameweek could well prove favourable for Wayne Rooney, despite a recent role out wide and, in Gameweek 33, Mario Balotelli could bag yet another goal, while no doubt threatening to get himself either subbed or dismissed in the process.
Martin Atkinson
Finally, given the way the fixtures have fallen, we can’t leave this article without a few words on the Red Baron himself. Following the crimson flash for Pepe Reina last Sunday, Martin Atkinson has now totalled five straight reds so far this season and eight red cards in total (two more than any other referee), so clearly favours the top pocket when required. The fact that he’ll be taking charge of the headline Easter Sunday game at the Emirates, as Arsenal host Manchester City in Gameweek 32, merely accentuates those stats and, with a player dismissed from each side already this season (Emmanuel Frimpong in Gameweek 2, and Balotelli in Gameweek 13 – incidentally both against Liverpool), the stage is set.
Factor in his six red cards shown in the last eight Premier League games involving Arsenal (thanks to Opta man @Orbinho for that one) and everything points to some red in this one. Mario may therefore need to watch his back as well as the road, then.
