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Anton Stach won’t be happy with the Premier League’s latest Leeds United announcement

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Daniel Farke and his Leeds United squad will now be focusing on Sunday’s clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, and the Premier League has announced Jarred Gillett will be the referee.

Farke will be keen to put Saturday’s lacklustre performance and 3-0 defeat to Brighton behind Leeds as he prepares his side to face a tricky test against Sean Dyche’s Forest. Forest have improved under Dyche.

Dyche enjoyed a 2-0 win over Porto in his first game. A 2-0 defeat to the impressive Bournemouth came next, before a comeback draw against Man United. Forest will see Sunday’s clash as a game they can win.

Leeds, meanwhile, need a result ahead of an incredibly difficult winter period that sees Leeds face Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man United over the next six weeks. Gillett will be the man in the middle.

Referee Jarred Gillett.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

Anton Stach won’t be impressed as Gillett appointed referee

The Premier League has confirmed that Gillett will take charge of his seventh Leeds game on Sunday, with the Aussie having been in the middle for one Leeds game already this season. The 5-0 loss to Arsenal.

Gillett gave a penalty against Stach in just his second Leeds outing, tripping Max Dowman as the teen sensation entered the box. Of course, Leeds had already lost, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring the penalty.

But the decision to award the penalty angered Stach, with replays showing Stach’s foot tickled Dowman’s toe and he went to ground, convincing Gillett to award a spot-kick. It was Arsenal’s fifth of the game.

Stach reacted angrily to the decision, in utter disbelief that Gillett had been fooled by Arsenal wonderkid Dowman. It will not have escaped the German’s mind that the Aussie ref gave a penalty against him.

Leeds’ record with Jarred Gillett as referee, six matches so far

The 5-0 defeat to Arsenal at The Emirates was Leeds’ sixth game with Gillett in charge, but surprisingly the first Leeds defeat. Leeds had Gillett as referee in the Premier League before, under Marcelo Bielsa.

A thriller that saw Leeds take the lead through Dan James, before Villa went 3-1 up. James made it 3-2 before Diego Llorente equalised, drawing 3-3. Gillett was also in charge during the 2023-24 play-offs.

DateCompetitionOppositionVenueResultLeeds scorers
22 Feb, 2020ChampionshipReadingElland Road1-0 Leeds P. Hernandez
16 July, 2020ChampionshipBarnsleyElland Road1-0 LeedsOwn Goal
9 Feb, 2022Premier LeagueAston VillaVilla Park3-3 DrawD. James x2
D. Llorente
8 Jan, 2023FA CupCardiff CityCardiff City Stadium2-2 DrawRodrigo
S. Perkins
16 May, 2024Championship
(play-offs)
Norwich CityElland Road4-0 LeedsI. Gruev
J. Piroe
C. Summerville
G. Rutter
23 Aug, 2025Premier LeagueArsenalThe Emirates5-0 ArsenalN/A

He took charge of Leeds’ 4-0 win over Norwich in the semi-finals second leg at Elland Road. Leeds also had Gillett as ref twice during Championship games under Bielsa, and an FA Cup game against Cardiff.

Leeds will be hoping that the defeat to Arsenal was a one-off, and they can maintain their impressive record with Gillett as referee. Nottingham Forest, however, will prove stern competition away from home.