Leeds United set for reunion with referee of controversial 2019 Aston Villa clash when they visit Arsenal

The Whites hosted their promotion rivals on April 28 of Marcelo Bielsa's first season in charge and the 1-1 result ended Leeds' hopes of finishing in the top two.

An entertaining affair, in which Attwell had already booked Bielsa for a breach of technical area protocol and turned down a Villa penalty claim, exploded to life on 72 minutes in scenes that eventually resulted in a FIFA award for the Whites head coach.

Jonathan Kodjia went to ground after challenging for the ball with Leeds skipper Liam Cooper, Attwell allowed play to go on and as Villa's players appealed for the ball to be put out of play and all-but stopped, Tyler Roberts found Mateusz Klich on the left wing and he cut inside to score with a fine finish.

In wild scenes, Klich was engulfed by incensed visiting players, the two benchs were embroiled in a heated debate and Villa's Ahmed El Ghazi was red carded after Patrick Bamford went to ground holding his face. Bamford would later admit the incident had caused him embarrassment, regret and caused him to be mocked by family members: "To be honest, I got more stick, mostly from my mum and my sisters. So, it’s one of them where I had to say, you know what, if I could change it, if I could, I’d change it I think.”

El Ghazi's sending off was rescinded and instead Bamford was given a suspension for deceiving Attwell and his fellow officials.

The game became even more memorable when Bielsa ordered his players to score an unchallenged equaliser, Albert Adomah running through to find the net despite the efforts of an infuriated Pontus Jansson.

Former referee Mark Halsey said no blame was to be attached to Attwell following the Leeds goal.

"Referee Stuart Attwell could not do anything about Leeds' opener - normally it has to be a head injury for the referee to stop play," he said.

"It was a brilliant act of sportsmanship by Leeds to let Villa walk the ball in."

FIFA went on to recognise Bielsa's decision to allow Villa to score by giving him the FIFA Fair Play Award in September 2019.

He sent Cooper and Leeds fitness coach Benoit Delaval to accept the award on his behalf but penned a speech.

"In the game Leeds vs Aston Villa of season '18-19 we scored a goal when the opponent accepted us to interpret the game. Immediately afterwards as the game resumed we solved the situation offering no resistance to our rival and allowed them to equalise and tie the march," he said.

"FIFA has decided to recognise our behaviour. Naturally I would like to thank, share and dedicate the distinction recieved. To start with I want to think FIFA and also to Leeds United and its fans, who did not question my actions.

"They could have claimed that I had to respect the ruling of the official but instead accepted my particular interpretation of differentiating something that is legal between something that is fair. The fitness coach of the team Benoit Delaval and captain Liam Cooper are present at this event. The first significantly influence my decision and the second represents a player who had the extremely uncomfortable task of following my instructions.

"When choosing how to act, the most difficult thing is not distinguish between right and wrong but to accept the consequences of doing what corresponds. Whilst there are immediate effects the important thing is to consider how we feel when time passes and we review our behaviour.

"When, as in this case, there was no time to reflect and we had to intervene instantly, our reflexes are conditioned by education, examples, references. I want to mention my mother who always knew what was right and what was wrong. Also to Newell's Old Boys of Rosario, a club to which I belong where for 20 years I learned to live football in a particular way.

"There are permanent presences in my life such as my family and some friends who remind me of values that should not be forgotten. Football, due to its enormous impact, at time operates on some aspects of public morals and it is especially involved in the mouldings of lives of those who have less or are the weakest. It is not convenient to comment on realities that you imagine but do not live. However I think most of those who have less, chose to do the right thing.

"With great effort, they remain worthy and live in decency. The recognition that FIFA gives us today included them because it rewards the same behaviour that they anonymously live every day."

Attwell will be assisted by Dan Cook and Simon Long in London on Sunday, with Simon Hooper as his fourth official, Andre Marriner acting as the VAR and Sian Massey-Ellis as assistant VAR.

This season Attwell, who was also in charge for Leeds' infamous 1-0 FA Cup defeat by Sutton United, has given 57 yellow cards, one red and awarded four penalties in his 13 Premier League games.