Premier League referee, Anthony Taylor will not officiate a match in the league this weekend following intense online abuse after Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth.
Taylor issued a record 14 yellow cards, six to Bournemouth players and eight to Chelsea, setting a new Premier League record for most bookings in a single match.
The abuse towards Taylor escalated online after the game, prompting the Premier League to launch an investigation into the incident.
As a result, Taylor has been assigned as the fourth official for two matches this weekend: Southampton’s game against Ipswich and Nottingham Forest’s trip to Brighton.
This incident is not the first time Taylor has faced hostile reactions.
In 2023, he and his family were confronted by angry Roma fans at Budapest airport following Roma’s defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final.
In that match, Anthony Taylor had issued 13 yellow cards, including seven to Roma players, leading to former Roma manager José Mourinho receiving a four-game ban for his post-match confrontation with the referee.
The Premier League, UEFA, and the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) have all condemned the abusive behavior directed at the referee.
