- Kavanagh was born five miles from the Etihad but does not support either team
- Referees may not officiate in matches involving their side or rivals
- One referee had metal plates after a broken jaw and feared being followed home IAKO
Richard Keys has criticized the PGMOL’s decision to appoint Chris Kavanagh as referee for Saturday’s match between Manchester City and Liverpool.
Kavanagh has been chosen to officiate one of the biggest games of the Premier League season, despite being born in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, just five miles from the Etihad Stadium.
Although Premier League officials are not allowed to referee the team they support – or any of their closest rivals – Kavanagh’s appointment is being questioned by Liverpool fans.
Keys, 66, added to the criticism on Tuesday when he posted a tweet asking why Kavanagh had been selected for the big match at the Etihad.
‘I don’t think for a moment that Chris Kavanagh will be anything other than a professional at City, but what if?’ Keys wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Some Liverpool fans are unhappy that Greater Manchester star Chris Kavanagh has been selected to referee their top-flight match against rivals Man City on Saturday.
One fan even pointed out how close Kavanagh was born to the Etihad Stadium, with Ashton-under-Lyne around five miles away from Man City’s pitch.
Richard Keys questioned the decision to appoint Kavanagh for Saturday’s big lunchtime match
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‘What if something goes wrong? And who would bet on that in a season like this? Why put extra pressure on him? Are there no other referees?’
It came after a user on Reddit posted a map asking for directions from Ashton-under-Lyne to the Etihad Stadium.
They titled the post ‘Man City v Liverpool referee born so close to City Ground’ and asked: ‘How is this allowed?’
It sparked a response from Liverpool fans on social media. ‘Chris Kavanagh, from Manchester, will referee our match against City. And Noel Gallagher will be in charge of VAR,” said one.
Another wrote: ‘Chris Kavanagh from Greater Manchester. Unbelievable.’
But the criticism was not universal, with one fan pointing out that the Etihad had not even been built when Kavanagh was born, while others said Liverpool supporters were ‘given an apology early on’.
Liverpool also have a good record in matches where Kavanagh has been in charge, winning 13 out of a possible 15 games.
The PGMOL has strict rules that prohibit officials from being involved in matches, including their own team or their local rivals. Unlike other top referees, it is not known who Kavanagh is supporting.
Michael Oliver is a Newcastle fan and therefore cannot feature in matches involving the Magpies or their near neighbors Sunderland.
beIN Sports presenter Keys, 66, was a frequent critic of referees and the PGMOL
Liverpool have a good record in matches where Kavanagh has taken charge, winning 13 of 15 matches
‘I never officiate matches in Newcastle. We have to declare whether we are loyal to a club or whether a family member works at a club,” Oliver told Mail Sport in 2021.
“You can’t play any game involving that team, and I can’t do Sunderland either, for obvious reasons.
‘Because Newcastle are invariably involved in a relegation battle, it means I won’t be able to get anyone around them into the bottom three come March or April.
‘If Newcastle needed a point to survive and the team they were fighting was Villa, for example, then I couldn’t referee Villa’s game either. I wouldn’t want it. It’s not worth the effort.’
Jurgen Klopp’s side could move top of the table if they beat the reigning Premier League champions on Saturday afternoon. The match was initially due to start at 5.30pm before it was moved forward due to concerns about problems with fans.