Anthony Taylor is set to officiate Liverpool’s game against competitors Manchester United this weekend, with the referee a supporter of National League membership Altrincham
The appointment of Anthony Taylor to referee Liverpool’s upcoming clash against Manchester United caused some controversy, given the authentic was born in Greater Manchester.
However, it is no secret that Taylor is in reality a fan of National League facet Altrincham as a substitute than United or City and the 45-year-old has had a season ticket at Moss Lane for many years.
“Anthony has usually been an Altrincham fan,” the club’s president Grahame Rowley toldThe Athletic. “Even now, he gets a season ticket each year, notwithstanding the reality he can not go to all the matches.
“People around here continually ask if w a Red or a Blue. He’s clearly a great recommend for non-League soccer and ought to be praised, now not criticised.”
Under PGMOL rules, referees are no longer allowed to officiate games involving the membership they guide and Taylor is now set to referee a conflict between Liverpool and United for the fourth time in his career.
The first recreation between the two opponents he officiated was back in 2016 and ended as a 0-0 draw, with his appointment attracting controversy returned then as former referees Mark Halsey and Keith Hackett both wondered why he used to be given the fixture.
“The PGMOL are no longer assisting themselves,” stated Halsey. “If anything occurs there will be questions about the appointment.” Hackett, meanwhile, claimed: “I do now not recognize why Anthony Taylor has been given the Liverpool recreation towards Manchester United and I do not suppose he should be doing it.
“There is a hazard to his non-public safety and that of his household after the recreation if some thing was once to go wrong. That is no longer right. The truth he lives so close to Old Trafford means he has been put under needless stress and it ought to have been averted if the sport had been given to any other referee from the Select Group.”
United boss Jose Mourinho also weighed in on the debate, suggesting Taylor would warfare “to have a very proper performance” and that “somebody is deliberately placing pressure on him”. However, he did insist that he felt Taylor was once a “very right referee”.
Taylor has due to the fact refereed two different clashes between the rivals, with Liverpool emerging triumphant in each as Jurgen Klopp’s aspect beat United 4-2 and 5-0 in 2021.
