Lewis Smith will take charge of his first Premier League game at Anfield on Saturday afternoon when Liverpool host rock-bottom Southampton.
Lewis Smith is set to referee Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League.
Lewis Smith is set to referee Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League.
Lewis Smith will referee Liverpool in the Premier League for the first time when they take on Southampton this weekend. The Reds return to top-flight action at Anfield on Saturday afternoon (3pm) and know victory over the Saints will keep them at least 13 points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
However, for Saturday afternoon's match there will be an unfamiliar name in charge of the game with Smith taking charge of a Premier League fixture at Anfield for the first time. The 31-year-old, who hails from Wigan, made his top-flight debut last February when he officiated Aston Villa's trip to Fulham.
Smith, though, has refereed the Reds already this term, taking charge of January's FA Cup victory over Accrington Stanley. When taking charge of a Premier League clash for the first time back in February 2024, Smith became the youngest referee (30) to officiate in the top-flight since Michael Oliver in 2010.
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The Wigan Post claims that Smith's promotion in 2024 came just 10 months after he was officiating in the National League, which is the fifth tier of English football. Smith was one of five new faces to referee in the Premier League last season, following in the footsteps of Sam Allison, Sam Barrott, Josh Smith and Rebecca Welch.
Meanwhile, John Brooks has been named as the referee for Liverpool's League Cup final game against Newcastle United this month. It will be the second time that Brooks has officiated a game between Liverpool and Newcastle having taken charge of the Premier League clash between the duo at St James' Park in August 2023.
Prior to two late goals from Darwin Nunez, Brooks sent Reds captain Virgil van Dijk off in the first half.
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