Sunderland given referee for Middlesbrough game who’s officiated two wins for Michael Carrick’s side already this season

After losing to Plymouth Argyle, who are currently at the bottom of the league, on Saturday, Sunderland will have a wonderful opportunity to bounce back in the feisty North East Derby. Regis Le Bris acknowledged that his team was “lucky” to win that match and must be aware that the Black Cats must play much better if they are to win against Middlesbrough, a club with a high level of skill. We’ve previously looked at Sunderland’s expected starting lineup before the match, but what about the midfield player? This is who will officiate the next match.

Who will officiate the match between Sunderland and Middlesbrough?

The match between Sunderland and Middlesbrough on Monday night will be officiated by Stephen Martin. Assistants Blake Antrobus and Carl Fitch-Jackson will accompany him, and the fourth official will be James Bell.

This season’s Stephen Martin referee record

Throughout the 2024–25 season, Stephen Martin has refereed 19 games, 14 of which have taken place in the Championship. In addition, he has managed one League Two game and four League One games. With 81 yellow cards in 19 games, Martin is quite trigger eager when it comes to showing them, although he hasn’t shown a red card this season. This season, Martin has given out three penalties, all of which have gone to the home team (Brighton City, Norwich, and Swansea). However, since October, he has not indicated the location.

This fierce rivalry might be the match to break Martin’s pattern in terms of red cards and penalties, so let’s hope Sunderland is not overly distracted by the deadline day on the night and keeps their wits about them. It’s interesting to note that Martin has managed two Middlesbrough games this season, both at the Riverside, and both have ended in victories: a 3-1 victory over Hull City and a 2-0 victory over Stoke City.

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