Anthony Taylor announced as referee for Manchester derby at the weekend... despite coming from a town only SIX MILES from Old Trafford
* Manchester City host Manchester United in Saturday's stand-out fixture
* Victory is imperative for both sides after a recent downturn in results
* Taylor took charge of the Manchester derby at the Etihad last season
Anthony Taylor will take charge of Saturday's Manchester derby at the Etihad stadium despite coming from a town only six miles away from Old Trafford.
Taylor hails from Wythenshawe, an area of Manchester closely associated with Manchester United.
The 40-year-old is FIFA listed and regularly officiates Premier League matches and Champions League games.
Anthony Taylor will officiate the Manchester derby in Saturday's late kick-off. Taylor took charge of the fixture last season, when City recorded a 3-1 victory
It is a move that is likely to irate City, as it did in November 2018 when he took charge of the game. City ran out 3-1 winners that day.
'I'm gobsmacked,' Kevin Parker, general secretary of the Manchester City Supporters' Group, told The Telegraph last year of the appointment. 'I don't know why the Premier League and PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Ltd - the referees' governing body) would leave themselves open to all the flak that is bound to follow his appointment.
'This appointment smacks of people who have either no understanding of football rivalry or just sheer arrogance in ignoring the fact he is Manchester-born.
'Somewhere along the line he will have family who will support either City or United. Why put the referee in this position?'
Taylor will also officiate Crystal Palace's clash with Bournemouth on Tuesday.
City, who saw the distance between themselves and Premier League leaders Liverpool extend to 11 points after a 2-2 draw with Newcastle at the weekend, are next in action on Tuesday away to Burnley.
United, meanwhile, were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa. They play Tottenham on Wednesday, with Jose Mourinho returning to Old Trafford for the first time as a manager since being sacked by United last year.
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