The chances of West Ham United's forthcoming Premier League meeting with Newcastle United passing without major controversy have taken a major blow after it was confirmed that Anthony Taylor has been appointed as referee.



Taylor receives a warm reception from home fans in December 2012



Fast forward to April 2014 - and more of the same

The bumbling official, who hails from Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester was responsible for dismissing goalkeeper Adrian against Leicester City last month - a decision that West Ham failed to overturn upon appeal.Taylor was also responsible for the ludicrous dismissals of West Ham's Carlton Cole and Everton's Darren Gibson in a Premier League meeting at the Boleyn Ground in December 2012.And slightly more recently, in April 2014, the 36-year-old was savaged once more by Hammers fans following his performance in a 2-1 home defeat against Liverpool - a game in which he awarded two incredibly weak penalties to the visitors; game-changing decisions that swung the match in their favour.KUMB.com's match report from the game - headed 'West Ham Utd 1-2 Anthony Taylor' - recalled how "the cretinous halfwit" incensed home fans with his performance on the day."Once again it was the man in the middle who was to ultimately decide the outcome of the game," it read. "For without his intervention Liverpool, who failed to score from open play, may well have gone home empty-handed."A Premier League referee since 2010, Taylor has taken charge of three top flight fixtures thus far this season in which he has shown 13 yellow cards and just the one red (to West Ham's Adrian).Last season his tally of 115 yellow cards was only beaten by Mike Dean and Martin Atkinson. And since being appointed by the PGMOL five years ago, he had averaged one red card every five games.