Man in the middle: Craig Pawson

Craig Pawson will take charge of Swansea City’s Premier League fixture against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Pawson, from Yorkshire, will be the man in the middle for a Swans game for the first time this season.

The last Swans match Pawson refereed was the 3-0 victory against Sunderland at the Liberty in December 2016, when Gylfi Sigurdsson netted a penalty and Fernando Llorente scored twice.

The 38-year-old has been the man in the middle for seven of the Swans’ Premier League matches, with the Liberty club winning six and losing only one.

All six victories came in SA1, while the only away Premier League match involving the Swans Pawson officiated was the 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in May 2015.

He has refereed in the Premier League and Europa League as well as in World Cup qualifiers this season.

He will be assisted at the bet365 Stadium by Adam Nunn and Ian Hussin, while Neil Swarbrick, who officiated the Swans’ clash with Chelsea on Wednesday evening, is the fourth official.