Leeds United will be reunited with a referee who has a long history with the club when they face Wolves at Molineux in their next Premier League fixture.
Daniel Farke needs to find a way to unlock his faltering attack when Leeds take on Wolves, as he looks to secure a much-needed second win of the season.
Having kicked off their Premier League return with a win over Everton, the goals have dried up for Leeds, as Ally McCoist criticised Dominic Calvert-Lewin for his missed chance in the defeat against Fulham.
The Premier League have announced that Anthony Taylor will take charge of the relegation clash, as Leeds look for a first win at Molineux since 2023.
This decision will concern Leeds fans, after Taylor once outraged former Leeds boss Steve Evans, who called for Taylor to be demoted to youth football.
Steve Evans looks on during Cardiff City v Leeds United
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Anthony Taylor once enraged a former Leeds United manager
Taylor took charge of the Yorkshire Derby between Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in 2016, as Leeds slipped to a 2-0 defeat under Steve Evans.
The most controversial moment of the game came in the second half, when Leeds appeared to have pulled a goal back through Liam Cooper, as he nodded home a 78th-minute free-kick from Alex Mowatt.
However, the referee ordered the free-kick to be retaken after consulting with his assistant, as Wednesday had not yet completed a substitution.
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Fernando Forestieri took an age to leave the pitch as the Owls looked to kill time and, despite the referee allowing the free-kick to be taken and initially awarding the goal, he was technically still on the field of play when the ball crossed the line.
Evans fumed in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, as he demanded that Taylor be demoted to the under-nines. “I’ve been into see Anthony and he said by law he’s got it right because it should be disallowed,” Evans said.
“He’s a Premier League referee who’s stepped down to take a big derby – he should be with the under-nines on the park pitches on Monday. You cannot make a mistake of that magnitude in a game which means so much to both sets of supporters.”
Dan James is shown a red card by Anthony Taylor during Leeds United v Chelsea
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Anthony Taylor’s record in Leeds games
Taylor first took charge of a Leeds game in 2007, when they faced Yeovil in the first round of the EFL Cup at Elland Road, according to the data from Transfermarkt.
Since then, he has refereed the Whites 22 times, overseeing eight Leeds wins, nine defeats and five draws, showing one red card to Dan James against Chelsea in 2022.
However, Taylor has proven to be a portent of doom for Leeds, having been present for some of the darkest moments in recent history.
Leeds’ record under Anthony Taylor:
Leeds Wins: 8
Leeds Defeats: 9
Draws: 4
Red Cards Shown: 2
Penalties Awarded: 1
He was in charge as Leeds lost 4-1 to Tottenham, as their relegation was confirmed in 2023. He was also in the middle as Leeds lost 6-2 against arch-rivals Manchester United under Marcelo Bielsa.
Taylor also refereed Leeds’ heartbreaking play-off defeat against Derby County, awarding a decisive penalty to the visitors and sending off Gaetano Berardi in the second half. The Whites will be hoping their luck under this sporting Cassandra changes this weekend.