Referee who gave Leeds United 'wrong' red card appointed for Liverpool visit, officials unveiled

Craig Pawson will take charge of the contest between the Whites and Reds, 19 months after handing United’s Pascal Struijk a hotly disputed red card in the corresponding fixture at Elland Road of September 2021.

Struijk was sent off after an unfortunate incident upon tackling Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott who was left with a dislocated ankle after being caught by the trailing leg of Struijk who had won the ball with his challenge.

Play initially continued but Pawson eventually returned to issue Struijk with a straight red that landed the Leeds defender with a three match ban. Leeds appealed the red card but the appeal was rejected by the FA.

Struijk took to his Instagram page following the incident to apologise over an accident that he never wished to happen. Elliott then said the defender was not to blame and should not have been sent off.

Writing on Instagram, Elliott said: "Wasn't his fault whatsoever. Neither was it a red card, just a freak accident but these things happen in football. I'll be back stronger 100 per cent. Thanks for all the support."

Marc Perry and Richard West will be Pawson’s assistants at Elland Road while Graham Scott will be the fourth official. Tony Harrington is on VAR, assisted by Sian Massey-Ellis.