Prem ref Chris Kavanagh has yet to officiate any of the 39 top-flight matches this season
CHRIS KAVANAGH has not been selected for a Premier League match for a fourth week running.
The Greater Manchester referee, 37, has not been picked for any of the opening 39 top-flight matches of the new season following yesterday’s appointments for this weekend’s fixtures.
Kavanagh has been overlooked as a referee, fourth official, VAR or assistant VAR role, according to the Prem’s official website.
SunSport understands Kavanagh is not injured and sources have indicated he has a frosty relationship with PGMOL Select Group One manager Jonathan Moss.
The Fifa official last took charge of a Prem match back on May 20 for Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth.
Sixteen of the 20 Select Group One refs have had a game so far this season.
That will become 17 of the 20 because Darren England has been placed in charge of Tottenham’s visit to Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon.
The other Select Group One refs who have not officiated a Prem game yet are Tony Harrington and Graham Scott.
But both have taken charge of a Championship match – unlike Kavanagh.
The two new Prem refs for this season – Darren Bond and Tim Robinson – have both been appointed for one match each in August.
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Kavanagh officiated just 13 Prem matches last season but has yet to be appointed this term.
Robert Madley, who has returned as a Select Group Two official, has been pushed forward to officiate Brentford’s home clash with Bournemouth on Saturday.
Kavanagh officiated 23 games in total, but six were in the Championship, two in the FA Cup plus a match apiece in the Europa League and Nations League.
But he hit the headlines in March when Fulham’s former striker Aleksandar Mitrovic pushed the ref in an FA Cup quarter-final tie at Old Trafford.
Mitrovic was banned for eight games while Fulham manager Marco Silva also received a two-match ban after he was sent off.