Liverpool: Fans lament appointment of officials for Aston Villa game on Saturday

Jon Moss has been appointed as the referee for Liverpool’s Premier League match against Aston Villa on Saturday, with Martin Atkinson fulfilling the role of VAR official, and both appointments were relayed by @AnfieldWatch on Twitter.

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Jon Moss will referee #LFC‘s visit to Aston Villa this Saturday.

Martin Atkinson in charge of VAR. pic.twitter.com/gDCOuLbixb

— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) October 28, 2019

This will be the 20th time that Moss has taken charge of a Liverpool match, the most recent of those being January’s 4-3 win over Crystal Palace in which James Milner was sent off. Indeed, the West Yorkshire native also dismissed Jordan Henderson in the Reds’ 3-0 win at Watford two months previously.

Moss has twice refereed games between Liverpool and Aston Villa before – the Reds’ 3-2 win at Anfield in September 2015 and the 2-2 draw at the same stadium in January 2014. [via TransferMarkt]

VAR official Atkinson will be involved in his second Premier League game featuring Liverpool in a fortnight, having been the man in the middle for the 1-1 draw at Manchester United recently. That day, he deemed Marcus Rashford’s goal fair despite a strong claim for a foul on Divock Origi in the build-up, as well as disallowing a Sadio Mane goal for a contentious handball, as per BBC.

These Liverpool fans on Twitter weren’t too impressed when they saw the appointment of the duo for the game at Villa Park:

We’re dropping points.

— Main Bhi Escobar | രെഞ്ചു (@ra62156) October 28, 2019

First time the VAR pitchside monitor will be used. He wont be able to help himself. Villa penalty or LIVERPOOL goal ruled out. I wouldn’t t have him in charge of parking !

— Jon Packham (@jonpackham1972) October 28, 2019

2 worst referees in the world. Can’t stand any of them. Can’t believe they still refereeing with their bad records

— Austin Frank 🇳🇬🇹🇷🇨🇦 (@liversituation) October 29, 2019