Lee Mason has been selected to referee Arsenal’s first away game of the season against London rivals, Crystal Palace.
The Lancashire born referee was the official of Leicester City’s opening game of the season where the Foxes won in a thrilling 4-2 game at the King Power Stadium to a Dick Advocaat Sunderland team. Mason issued a penalty to Leicester 30 minutes into the first-half after Lee Cattermole foolishly fouled Riyad Mahrez inside the penalty box, to which the Algerian coolly slotted home.
Mason has history with both Arsenal and Palace
Mason refereed the both legs of the 2009 FA Youth Cup final between Arsenal and Liverpool, to which Arsenal won 4-1 on aggregate with a side consisting the likes of Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong. Mason’s latest Arsenal outing was in May of last season, where the 43-year-old officiated a 3-1 Arsenal win away to Hull City, with Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez all but guaranteeing Arsenal’s place in this seasons Champions League.
Mason’s last outing for Palace was in March where the Eagles beat QPR in a 3-1 win at Selhurst Park. Lee Mason was heavily criticised by QPR players and fans during the game after the referee missed a blatant foul on QPR defensive midfielder, Karl Henry, during the build up to Palace’s opening goal.
Despite the 2015/16 Premier League season being a mere one game old, Arsenal have already been hit with uncertainty and criticism from both fans and critics, after a 2-0 loss at home to West Ham in which Hammers looked the better team for the majority of the 90 minutes. Arsenal’s only major signing of the summer as of yet, Petr Cech, made two poor goalkeeping errors to allow Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate to sink the Gunners to an opening day defeat.
Crystal Palace, however, enjoyed the opening day of the new season with an impressive 3-1 display to Premier League new boys, Norwich City. Wilfred Zaha gave the Eagles the lead in the first-half, before Damien Delaney doubled the visitors lead in the 49th minute. Nathan Redmond managed to pull a goal back for the hosts with a great strike from range, but Crystal Palace new boy, Yohan Cabaye, added a third goal for Palace in the final minutes of the game.
Crystal Palace can continue their good start to the season with a win at home to a Arsenal side low on confidence, whilst the Gunners would be eager to respond after their humiliating defeat to West Ham on Sunday.