Experienced referee Andre Marriner has been selected by the FA to referee Saturday's meeting between Manchester United vs. Liverpool. The choice was announced on Premierleague.com and every call he makes (and misses) will undoubtedly be scrutinized by a global audience.
The 40-year-old official has been an English Premier League referee since 2005 and a FIFA international referee since 2009.
It will not be the first time he’s presided over a meeting between the two rivals. He played a key role in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Manchester United at Anfield in Oct. 2009. Nemanja Vidic was sent off for two bookable offenses and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believed the home crowd helped sway Marriner.
"It is very difficult atmosphere here." Ferguson said after the game. There was a wounded animal aspect to the game and it was something we did not overcome. I think it affected our players and it affected the referee. There were so many controversial things that happened we have to feel aggrieved at some of them.
"The Vidic booking was the worst decision. It is a foul, fine. But the player has played on, he won the second ball and knocked it for a throw in and got booked. It put Nemanja under pressure.
Marriner also refereed LFC’s famous 1-1 draw at Arsenal in April. He awarded Arsenal a penalty in the seventh minute of second half stoppage time, which the Gunners converted. Four minutes later, he awarded Liverpool an ultimately-successful penalty, which stands as the latest ever goal in EPL history.
