SPORT Community Shield: FA forced to replace referee for Man City vs Man Utd clash
Jarred Gillett will referee at Wembley on Saturday. AFP
The Community Shield is just around the corner. Manchester City will take on arch-rivals Manchester United on Saturday at Wembley in a battle for the first title of the season.
John Brooks, who was appointed to referee Saturday’s showdown, has suffered a minor injury and will not be available for duty. As a result, the Football Association (FA) has called for another official.
Jarred Gillett will be in charge of refereeing between the two Manchester teams at Wembley. He was the fourth official when Brooks was due to be the first referee but Sam Barrott will replace him. Adrian Holmes and Nick Greenhalgh will be his assistants.
The Football Association, FA, has been forced to change the referee for the Community Shield clash between Manchester United and Manchester City.
John Brooks was initially appointed to take charge of the game at Wembley.
But he has suffered a minor injury and will be replaced by Jarred Gillett.
Gillett had been appointed as the fourth official for the match.
Sam Barrott has now replaced him as the fourth official, while Adrian Holmes and Nick Greenhalgh will be Gillett’s assistants.
Peter Bankes will be on VAR duty at Stockley Park, with Sian Massey-Ellis and Tim Robinson supporting him.
The Community Shield game is widely regarded as the traditional curtain raiser ahead of the new season, with Premier League champions City taking on FA Cup winners United.
Manuel Ugarte, Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Manuel Ugarte remains the top target at Manchester United, despite them having been offered a number of stars
Manchester United have reportedly been offered ‘more than a dozen’ midfielders since their efforts to sign Manuel Ugarte looked to have dried up, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe is still trying to get him.
United have already been linked with a host of midfielders after David Ornstein reported they would look elsewhere than Ugarte, given they are seemingly unwilling to match Paris Saint-Germain’s valuation of the midfielder.
Sander Berge, Andre, Joao Gomes, Ederson and Sofyan Amrabat are among the players they have been linked with in recent days.
And the potential midfield additions do not stop there, with HITC reporting United have been offered ‘more than a dozen’ alternatives just this week.
However, Dan Ashworth is already busy looking into options that the Red Devils themselves want to sign. He’s said to be ‘working hard’ to find the right player to add to United’s side.
But the interest in Ugarte has not ceased, despite the hunt for alternatives being well under way.
HITC states the Uruguayan is still United’s first choice, and lines of communication between the Premier League giants and PSG have ‘remained open’.
Talks are still ongoing, and are said to have included discussions over a possible loan transfer. While United do not feel PSG’s demands for Ugarte are excessive, they are limited on what they can spend due to the fact they have not had any major outgoings.
They remain in talks with Saudi Pro League sides over the sale of Casemiro, while Scott McTominay has been the subject of interest within England.
If one or both of those players are sold soon, a permanent transfer for Ugarte could be firmly back on the table, but United’s struggles at the moment seem to stem from the financial side, so the exits might have to happen before anything that be confirmed.
If not, some of the other options they have been linked with should be much cheaper than the PSG man, and Ratcliffe may have to settle with a lesser option to ensure he gets some
one through the door.
Leave a Reply