Referee who was suckered into handing Newcastle United star crimson card and three match ban introduced as official for Brighton conflict

 · 29 April 2025, 21:30

Newcastle United journey to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday for a 2 pm kick-off stay on Sky Sports activities.

The Seagulls have fallen away from the chase for Champions League soccer however will nonetheless pose a major menace to Newcastle, having overwhelmed them twice already this season within the league and FA Cup.

It has been two years since Newcastle beat Brighton. In Could 2023 Newcastle beat the Seagulls 4-1 at St James’ Park, however this time the Could fixture is reversed. Hopefully, the scoreline will not be.

Newcastle must hold choosing up factors within the final 4 video games because the race for Champions League soccer is much too tight to name, and each level, each objective issues.

Newcastle will come up towards referee Craig Pawson once more on Sunday

If issues weren’t already tough sufficient for the Magpies, the PGMOL have introduced that Craig Pawson would be the man within the center on Sunday.

Now we have an axe to grind with Mr Pawson, which dates again to the opening sport of the season when Ben Brereton-Diaz disgracefully purchased a crimson card for Fabian Schar after a Robert De Niro-esque efficiency as Schar moved his head nearer in the direction of Brereton-Diaz, who went down like he’d been shot.

The slight motion by Fabian Schar was sufficient for VAR to stay with the on-field determination, and the crimson card and subsequent three-game ban stood.

Absolutely Craig Pawson cannot be as unhealthy as Michael Salisbury

Craig Pawson additionally refereed Newcastle’s assembly with Everton, by which he awarded the Magpies a penalty which was duly missed by former Toffee Anthony Gordon. Pawson additionally waved away robust appeals for an Everton penalty.

Whereas Newcastle did profit from his poor decision-making on that event, it does recommend that Sunday’s sport is unlikely to be drama-free.

After the stunning show by Michael Salisbury on Saturday, we’re assured that Craig Pawson cannot do a lot worse. Nonetheless, we cannot maintain our breath.