Richard Keys is rarely not furious, and this is the case following a statement about Newcastle United’s match against Manchester City.
After the highs of defeating Sunderland in the FA Cup, the Magpies have returned their focus to the Premier League.
They welcome Manchester City to St James’ Park for Newcastle’s final game before a two-week break. After Saturday’s game, Eddie Howe’s side will not play again until the final weekend of January, when they will face Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round.
Newcastle’s game against Manchester City will be extremely difficult, especially given their current run in the Premier League.
The Magpies have dropped down to ninth in the table after three consecutive defeats.
Three could become four on Saturday, and it has now been announced who will be refereeing the Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Manchester City.
Chris Kavanagh to referee Newcastle United vs Manchester City
Chris Kavanagh has been verified as the man in the middle at St James’ Park on Saturday evening.
This comes after he took command of Crystal Palace’s 0-0 FA Cup draw with Everton. That game made headlines owing to a startling decision by Kavanagh, who sent Dominic Calvert-Lewin out for a simple challenge.
The Everton forward’s suspension has been lifted, but there will be no penalty for the official.
Instead, he will play in the middle for Newcastle against Manchester City on Saturday, much to the surprise of Richard Keys.
You can’t make this up. Chris Kavanagh who oversaw DCL appealed s/o gets Newcastle/City & VAR for Utd/Spurs this w/e. Altrincham based Antony Taylor conned by Fernandes gets Chelsea. Pawson gets Brighton. Salisbury Sheff Utd. They should all be given the w/e off to study.
— Richard Keys (@richardajkeys) January 10, 2024
He wrote on X, “You can’t make this up. Chris Kavanagh, who supervised the DCL appeal, gets Newcastle/City and VAR for United/Spurs this week. Antony Taylor, who lives in Altrincham and was duped by Fernandes, now plays for Chelsea. Pawson receives Brighton. Salisbury Sheff United. They should all get the week off to study.”
Under fire Kavanagh has refereed Newcastle four times this season
The decision to eject Calvert-Lewin was absurd, yet Kavanagh won’t face consequences. Instead, he’s assigned to one of the Premier League’s major matches this weekend. This move has infuriated Keys, especially following his recent outrage over Newcastle’s celebrations after beating Sunderland. Richard might need to take a breather.
Keys has voiced discontent about other referees being selected, suggesting they should all take a weekend off for “study.” However, that approach raises the question: who would officiate the games? While the current refereeing standard isn’t up to par, getting rid of them all isn’t the solution.
Kavanagh will referee Newcastle for the fifth time this season on Saturday. He has overseen three Premier League losses against Tottenham, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest. Additionally, he officiated their League Cup win over Manchester City, marking the second time he’s handled this particular fixture this season.
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