West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League, London Stadium, Saturday 21 December 2024, 3pm GMT
Referee: Rob Jones
Assistant Referees: Ian Hussin and Neil Davies
Fourth Official: Sam Barrott
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes
Rob Jones has been confirmed as the referee for Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
A referee in the English Football League since 2016, the 37-year-old Merseysider took charge of his first top-flight clash in December 2019, and was promoted to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Select Group One ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
Jones has been the man in the middle at three finals during his career so far, the last of which was Wycombe Wanderers’ victory over Oxford United in the EFL League One Play-Off final in July 2020, little under a year after he refereed Oxford’s shock win over West Ham in the third round of the EFL Cup.
In total, Jones has held the whistle at seven games involving the Hammers, most recently during the 2-0 away win over Crystal Palace in August earlier this season.
Also present at Selhurst Park was assistant Ian Hussin, who will once again work with Jones at London Stadium this coming weekend, along with fellow flagman Neil Davies.
The pair run the line in the Premier League regularly, with Hussin and Davies having officiated at 26 and 19 West Ham fixtures respectively in all competitions.
Hussin has been a top-flight assistant referee since the 2014/15 campaign, and worked 20 matches in the division last term. He also served with Jones during international friendlies involving Austria and Moldova, and Scotland and Northern Ireland, in 2023/24.
Sam Barrott will work as the fourth official on Saturday.
The West Riding native took charge of his first Premier League match in October 2023, as Fulham beat Sheffield United 3-1 at Craven Cottage, and was the man in the middle for the Hammers’ third London derby of 2024/25 against Chelsea in September.
Finally, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties are set to be overseen by Paul Tierney. The 43-year-old refereed West Ham’s away games against Fulham and Luton Town last season.
