Mike Dean's family has been threatened over a red card story.

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Zemanek / BPI / Shutterstoc / SIPA

Premier League referee Mike Dean has alerted police after his family received death threats following two controversial red cards he released last week.

Dean, who has served in the Premier League since 2000, has been criticized for sending Southampton defender Jan Bednarek off against Manchester United last Tuesday and then West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek in Saturday's game at Fulham.

"No one should be the victim of odious messages like this"

Both decisions were overturned on appeal by the English Federation.

According to the English press, Dean has requested to be relieved of his duties next weekend, although he is scheduled to referee Wednesday's FA Cup fifth round match between Leicester and Brighton.

"Totally unacceptable".



Mike Dean and his family have received a number of threats, including death threats, and abusive messages.

- BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 8, 2021

Mike Riley, managing director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body that trains and chooses Premier League referees, supported Dean's decision to alert the police.

"Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike's decision to report messages received by his family to the police," he said.

“No one should be the victim of heinous messages like this.

Online abuse is unacceptable in all quarters and more needs to be done to tackle the problem ”.

Two evictions in question

Pole Bednarek was sent back to the locker room for a foul on Frenchman Anthony Martial in Manchester United's 9-0 victory over the Saints.

Dean stuck to his original decision after being asked to check out the pitch-side TV monitor at Old Trafford.

Dean ruled out Czech Soucek for accidentally hitting Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow in Saturday's 0-0 draw.

The 52-year-old referee also checked the slow-motion footage of the action on the pitch-side TV monitor, after consulting the VAR and decided the incident deserved a direct red.

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