Craig Pawson to referee Brighton v Manchester United… again
What is it about Craig Pawson being selected to referee Brighton against Manchester United? For the third time in the past three seasons, Mr Pawson will be the man in the middle as Seagulls take on Red Devils.
Mr Pawson had the gig back in May when United won 2-0 at the Amex on the final day of the campaign. With the announcement 24 hours earlier that Roberto De Zerbi was to leave the Albion, the afternoon became more about saying goodbye to the best head coach Brighton have ever had than the result.
Which was just as well. Defeat saw Brighton slip out of the top half of the Premier League table to a finishing position of 11th. Below Crystal Palace. Followed by a mad rush to delete all social media posts referencing teachers, pupils and minding gaps.
Mr Pawson also had the whistle when the Albion lost to United on penalties in the FA Cup semi final at Wembley.
Go back in time a little further and you will find a happier experience of Mr Pawson as referee for Brighton v Manchester United.
It was his watch that ended up vibrating to confirm Pascal Gross had beaten David De Gea at the Amex in May 2018. Gross’ goal was enough to secure a famous 1-0 win over the Red Devils and guaranteed the Albion survival in their first Premier League campaign.
Overall, Mr Pawson has taken charge of 30 Brighton matches. The Albion have won eight, drawn nine, lost 13 and picked up 46 yellow cards along the way.
He has flashed three red cards to Seagulls players, although two of those came inside the opening 12 minutes of one game.
Yes, Mr Pawson was in charge that surreal afternoon in December 2011 when nine-man Brighton lost 1-0 at home to Burnley.
Romain Vincelot was first to be sent for an early bath. Ashley Barnes followed shortly after. Remarkably, the Albion were the better team despite playing with two less players for 78 minutes.
If Craig Mackail-Smith had brought along his shooting boots, Gus Poyet He Who Must Not Be Named’s Seagulls side might have even claimed a point. Rather than going down to a Kieran Tripper goal.
Matt Sparrow is the other Seagull to have been sent off by Mr Pawson. Take 10 points if you can remember where and when.
It was a 1-0 defeat at Northampton Town in the first round of whatever the League Cup was known as in the 2010-11 season.
Elimination at Sixfields was the second time Mr Pawson took charge of Brighton. The first came 18 months earlier, when Brighton turned up to play Leicester City with a blue and white striped home shirt, a yellow and blue striped away shirt and a sky blue third choice kit.
Ruling that all three of the Albion’s blue options might clash with Leicester’s famous colours of, er, blue, Mr Pawson made Brighton wear the Foxes’ yellow away kit.
Mr Pawson will arrive at the Amex having enjoyed an eventful opening weekend of the Premier League season at St James’ Park.
Ben Brereton Diaz’s theatrics were enough to convince the official to send off Fabian Schar for an alleged headbutt as Newcastle ran out 1-0 victors over Southampton.
Chris Kavanagh will be on VAR duty for Brighton against Manchester United. Mr Kavanagh was accused of losing control of Aston Villa’s time wasting by De Zerbi when Villa won 2-0 at the Amex in November 2022.
