The Premier League has just revealed the officiating crew for the highly anticipated showdown between Brentford and Newcastle United taking place this afternoon with a kick-off time set for 4pm.
The heat is on as the fight for European qualification comes down to the wire, following Newcastle’s narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester United in a midweek clash. To secure the coveted 6th spot, the Magpies must clinch a victory against Brentford and rely on Chelsea stumbling in their home game against AFC Bournemouth.
Should the team manage to match Manchester United’s performance against Brighton & Hove Albion, they’ll snatch the 7th position. However, the European entry is contingent on Manchester City defeating the Red Devils in the upcoming FA Cup final. If that sounds complicated, well, it’s the high stakes of competitive football for you.
Regardless of the outcomes elsewhere, Eddie Howe’s squad is focused on delivering their best in West London, under the watchful eye of match official Simon Hooper.
Hooper has previously overseen two of Newcastle’s matches this season, including their impressive 4-1 victory against Chelsea last November, where he brandished a red card to Reece James for a second offense. His most recent encounter with the team was during their disappointing 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Not without some controversies, the 41-year-old referee found himself at the epicenter of a notable VAR incident earlier this season. During Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, a wrongly disallowed goal due to offside raised eyebrows. The VAR team comprising Darren England and Daniel Cook supported Hooper’s on-field call, leading to play restarting with a free-kick for Spurs. Despite realizing the error promptly, regulations prevented them from rectifying the decision.
Liverpool’s protestations to the PGMOL were followed by Jurgen Klopp’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion of a rematch. However, tensions seem to have cooled since then, with Klopp humorously acknowledging the appointment of Hooper for Liverpool’s recent 3-3 draw against Aston Villa.
With a touchline ban looming over Klopp, the German tactician quipped about the challenge of being on his best behavior with Hooper officiating. In his classic wit, Klopp reassured, “Yes, and they gave me Simon Hooper, that’s obviously the biggest challenge they can find! I am all right. I should be fine.” Alongside Hooper, the officiating team includes Adrian Holmes and Simon Long as assistants, with Paul Tierney and Natalie Aspinall managing VAR duties, and Gavin Ward as the fourth official.
