adminSportsmail can reveal that English football’s leading official will instead suffer the indignity of presiding over a League One match between Colchester and Shrewsbury next Saturday afternoon.
The official was criticised after failing to spot what Sunderland believed to be a penalty for a shirt-pull on Danny Graham in the first half, while the Black Cats were also aggrieved that referee Webb failed to show Yoan Gouffran a red card for a dangerous tackle.
But the Professional Game Match Board has denied Webb has been dropped from the Premier League fixture next weekend because he had a bad game while in charge of the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland.
A PGMOL spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “Howard Webb did not have a bad game at the weekend and he certainly hasn’t been punished.
“This game was chosen for him weeks ago and has nothing at all to do with the Newcastle game. People have not checked this out with us, put two and two together and decided to draw their own conclusion.”
Linesman Darren Cann also came in for criticism, with Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse having a goal incorrectly disallowed for off-side when Sunderland were leading 1-0, with Alan Pardew complaining after the match that the moment was decisive in the game’s outcome.
It represents a stinging blow for Webb as he misses out on big games in the Premier League, with Tottenham taking on Manchester City and Chelsea facing Liverpool on Sunday, while Manchester United could clinch the title versus Aston Villa on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, Chris Foy will referee QPR v Stoke despite missing Sergio Aguero’s horror tackle on David Luiz. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter