EFL confirm referee decision for Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland

The panel of officials has been confirmed for Sunderland’s visit to Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

The EFL have confirmed the team of officials that will oversee Sunderland’s visit to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.

The Black Cats travel to Hillsborough attempting to return to winning ways after enduring consecutive defeats against Leeds United and Hull City and deliver a lift to their ambition to return to the Premier League for the first time in eight years.

However, their hosts also have their sights on promotion and could close to within three points of the play-off places if they avenge the 4-0 defeat they suffered at the Stadium of Light during the early weeks of the campaign.

With an impassioned affair anticipated at Hillsborough in front of the Sky Sports cameras, there is a need for calm minds on all parties – and the statistics seem to indicate the EFL have taken that into consideration after designating Will Finnie as the referee for the fixture.  According to TransferMarkt, the 30-year-old has taken command of 27 games in all competitions so far this season, handing out 85 yellow cards at an average of just over three per game.

However, he has dished out just a solitary red card after dismissing Gillingham midfielder Ethan Coleman for two cautions in their 3-0 home win against League Two opponents Tranmere Rovers in September.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the current season about his approach to officiating, Finnie said: “We’re addressing that poor behaviour and trying to build positive relationships with the players.

That’s our principal focus. We’re football devotees, we get it, it’s a game full of emotion… we’ve got a whole array of numerous approaches we can take… we’ve got the opportunity to build that positive rapport and communicate to manage that circumstance.

We don’t want to have to proceed directly to a yellow or red card if we can help it.

But of course, if that boundary is crossed, where it’s plainly intolerable, we’ve got a task to do and we will make sure we enforce that.”

Finney will be aided at Hillsborough by Daniel Leach and Mark Stevens and Oliver Langford will be on fourth official duties.

Finney will be aided at Hillsborough by Daniel Leach and Mark Stevens and Oliver Langford will be on fourth official duties.