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The Football Association has reached deep into the referees larder to pick out the man who will be in charge of this season’s first Merseyside Derby, Wirral-born Mike Dean.
Referee Dean will be in control (hopefully) when Everton host Liverpool under the lights on Monday night, his first time officiating a game for either club in over a decade. He’s already been handing out the cards like it’s Christmas come early, with 51 yellows and 3 sendings-off in 12 Premier League games this season.
He has only ever refereed two Everton games, both away games. On Boxing Day 2003 he oversaw the Toffees 3-2 loss at Old Trafford against Manchester United, and then sent off Duncan Ferguson in a 1-1 draw against Wigan Athletic. Dean was the fourth official in the Blues’ Tuesday-night game against Arsenal as well.
Dean has done one Liverpool game, a 3-2 loss against Sheffield Wednesday early in 2003-04 season. He was scheduled to officiate the 2006 FA Cup Final, but was then removed after Liverpool made it to Wembley against West Ham United since he is a local to Merseyside.
Match Officials Details -
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistants: S Long, A Holmes
Fourth official: L Mason
Mike Dean Everton record -