Top ref Mark Halsey has been disciplined after Liverpool complained to the Premier League about his close connections with Bolton Wanderers.
The Bolton-based official has been ordered to stop writing articles for the Reebok match programme after Anfield chiefs saw red over his comments supporting the Whites when the teams met a month ago.
He has not refereed a Premier League game for three weeks and on Saturday will be in charge of the League Two fixture between Boston United and Notts County.
Liverpool, who lost 2-0 at the Reebok on September 30, complained after Halsey wrote in that day's programme: "Let's hope the boys can put on a performance and win for Big Sam and Little Sam."
Wanderers have refused to comment, but the Halsey column, which has been a popular feature of match programmes in recent seasons and in which he mainly tackles supporters' queries on the rules of the game, was missing from Saturday's Manchester United edition.
A Premier League spokesman confirmed Halsey had been "asked to explain himself" after they received the complaint but denied that he had been suspended from refereeing top flight games, such decisions being in the hands of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.
"Referees are constantly assessed and appointments are made on a performances basis," the spokesman said. "What Mark wrote ahead of the Livepool game was not acceptable. He has been advised of that and told he should not be writing the column."
Halsey declined to comment.
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Halsey wrote in that day's programme: "Let's hope the boys can put on a performance and win for Big Sam and Little Sam."
I think its disgraceful that referees with close ties to a club can be allowed to referee their matches. Surely this leaves the ref and the club open to bungs and corruption
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