PREMIER LEAGUE referee Michael Oliver has been sent home from Qatar by Fifa.
But Anthony Taylor could be in charge for the World Cup final on Sunday.
Northumberland born Oliver, 37, was in the middle for Brazil’s penalty shootout defeat to Croatia.
But he hasn’t been retained for the final week of the tournament despite England being knocked out, according to The Telegraph.
As well as Brazil’s quarter-final exit, Oliver took charge of Costa Rica’s 1-0 win over Japan and Mexico’s 2-1 victory against Saudi Arabia in the group stages.
Meanwhile fellow Prem whistler Taylor, 44, is reported to still be in Qatar.
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The Manchester born ref is in with a chance of overseeing one of the four games remaining.
There are just two semi-finals, Argentina vs Croatia and France vs Morocco, plus the third-place play-off and the final left to play.
Taylor has been retained alongside his assistants Adam Nunn and Gary Beswick.
He could become the first English official to referee a World Cup final since Howard Webb in 2010.
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Taylor is yet to take charge of a knockout game in the current tournament.
He reffed Ghana’s dramatic 3-2 win over South Korea in the group stages, as well as Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Croatia.
Taylor has dished out just five yellow cards in his two games, and a red to South Korea boss Paulo Bento.
Oliver on the other hand brandished 18 yellows in his three games at the tournament.
Elsewhere, the Brazilian referee in charge of England’s quarter-final defeat to France could be in the middle for the final.
Wilton Sampaio, who was slammed for his performance, has reportedly been kept on in Qatar with Brazil out of the tournament.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
