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Off the hook

Ref justice: Atkinson escapes punishment for Rodwell red

The FA confirm that Martin Atkinson will not be banished to the lower leagues after sending off Jack Rodwell against Liverpool.

PREMIER LEAGUE REF Martin Atkinson can breathe a sigh of relief after the FA decided not to punish him for his Merseyside derby blunder.

Atkinson controversially red-carded Everton’s Jack Rodwell for an innocuous challenge on Liverpool’s Luis Suarez when the sides met at Goodison Park recently, only to see his decision overturned by the FA’s appeal committee on review.

Liverpool went on to win the game 2-0, with a furious David Moyes blasting the referee for “ruining the game” in his post-match comments.

The FA were expected to temporarily demote Atkinson to a lower-league fixture this weekend as punishment, but confirmed yesterday that he would take charge of Saturday’s meeting between Stoke City and Fulham at the Brittania Stadium.

Andre Marriner will take charge of Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off when Manchester United travel to Anfield. Marriner took charge of the corresponding fixture in 2009, sending off both Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano as Liverpool won 2-0.

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