Kevin Friend has been appointed as the referee for Sunday’s Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The 43-year-old from Bristol has officiated 31 games across all competitions this season, handing out 129 yellow cards and five red cards; he has also refereed one game at Selhurst Park this season, in December when the Eagles drew 1-1 with Stoke City.
Friend was in the middle of controversy in February when he denied both Liverpool and Southampton penalties in the Reds’ 2-0 win at St Mary’s, leading him being dropped for the next round of fixtures to fourth official which was incidentally a game between Crystal Palace and West Ham.
