A crucial Championship showdown in the race for Premier League promotion takes place on Friday night as Sunderland visit Burnley at Turf Moor.
Currently sitting second in the table, Burnley have the chance to overtake league leaders Leeds United and move to the top, at least temporarily, by handing Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland their fifth league defeat of the season. For Sunderland, a victory against Scott Parker’s Burnley would propel them into the automatic promotion spots ahead of Saturday’s fixtures. With high stakes for both teams, the pressure will be intense, and the match officials will likely come under scrutiny.
The EFL has announced Anthony Backhouse as the referee for this high-pressure encounter between two promotion contenders. Backhouse, a Cumbrian official, has officiated 13 Championship matches this season but will oversee Sunderland for the first time in the current campaign. He has already refereed Burnley this season, including their 2-0 home win over Coventry City in November and a 4-0 victory against Salford City in September.
Backhouse officiated three Sunderland games last season, all at the Stadium of Light, including wins over Norwich City and Plymouth Argyle (both 3-1) and a 1-0 defeat to Millwall. Sunderland’s overall record under his officiating stands at seven wins, three draws, and three losses in 13 matches.
Assisting Backhouse on Friday night will be Alex James and George Byrne, with James Linington serving as the fourth official for this pivotal promotion clash.
