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Liverpool will be in for a rare treat this weekend when they step out at Stoke City for their latest Premier League clash.

After all, the man in the middle is someone rarely spotted taking charge of Reds games.

Wirral referee Mike Dean will helm the Saturday afternoon showdown between Jurgen Klopp’s men and Mark Hughes’ Potters.

And remarkably it is only the third Liverpool game Dean will have officiated during his lengthy career.

His first was back in 2003, when Liverpool lost the first leg of their League Cup semi-final at Sheffield United 2-1.

Dean then had to wait more than 13 years for his next Reds game, when he took charge of December’s Goodison derby that was decided by Sadio Mane’s injury-time strike.

His Wirral connections have meant Dean has only officiated four Everton games.

The 48-year-old is regarded as a controversial figure among football supporters given the unique, exuberant manner in which he officiates.

No referee has brandished more Premier League red cards than the five Dean has dished out this season, while only Anthony Taylor, Jonathan Moss and Bobby Madley have shown more yellow cards.

However, a string of high-profile errors over the festive period saw Dean demoted to the Championship earlier this year.