Controversial Premier League referee appointed for Southampton vs Leicester City

Controversial Premier League referee appointed for Southampton vs Leicester City

For Leicester City’s trip to Southampton, one of the Premier League’s most controversial referees has been selected.

Steve Cooper’s team hopes to win two straight games when they visit the South Coast, having just secured their season’s first three points against Bournemouth the previous game.

For both teams to succeed in preventing an instant return to the Championship, they must win.

The Foxes should have a solid roster to choose from, though Facundo Buonanotte might not play because he is returning from an international assignment with Argentina.

Anthony Taylor confirmed as referee for Leicester’s trip to Southampton

The Premier League has confirmed that Anthony Taylor will be the man in the middle when Leicester travels south.

One of the league’s most seasoned referees, Taylor has overseen games at the World Cup and European Championships in addition to officiating European finals.

The 45-year-old was suspended earlier this season after receiving a barrage of hate mail on social media for issuing 14 yellow cards to Chelsea’s 1-0 victory against Bournemouth in September.

Following Roma’s loss in the Europa League final, Jose Mourinho also heaped harsh criticism on him.

Working alongside Taylor will be Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn as linesmen and Simon Hooper as the fourth official.

Alex Chilowicz will be on VAR duty and Simon Bennett will be his assistant.

Resolving his terrible away performance as a manager comes first for Cooper, following his relief at having won his first league game as Leicester’s manager.

The main critique during his tenure as Nottingham Forest’s manager was the team’s inability to win away from the King Power Stadium. This season, the Foxes manager has only managed one point away from the stadium. They even let a two-goal lead slip away at Crystal Palace.

Cooper only scored eight of Forest’s 38 points away from home in their debut season back in the top division, and they only triumphed once until Cooper was fired in December 2023.

The chance to break that streak on Saturday would be ideal, and with a match against nearby rivals Forest the following week, Cooper’s standing with the supporters would only grow.

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