Andre Marriner from the West Midlands makes a quick return to Anfield on Saturday as Stoke City visit for the first time as a Premiership outfit.

Andre refereed our pre-season friendly victory over Lazio last month. The 37-year old is the youngest of the Premiership referees and in his five seasons in the Premiership has refereed 39 games so far since his debut in November 2004.

He has refereed just two Premiership matches so far this season, both games ended up with the away side winning by the odd goal. On the first day of the season Blackburn ran out 3-2 winners at Everton and last weekend Hull City defeated Newcastle United 2-1. His only other game this season was in The Championship, and that also resulted in an away win as Blackpool won at Southampton by the only goal of the game.

He started refereeing at the age of 21 and only eight years later was promoted to the Football League as an assistant referee.

He spent the next three seasons on the line before getting the jump to the middle. In his first season as referee he was awarded the Conference Play-off final between Doncaster Rovers and Dagenham and Redbridge, and was then fourth official for the FA Youth Cup Final.

His rise to the higher echelons of football refereeing appears to be constant with a UEFA badge just around corner. He gained his first experience of International football by being the fourth official to Mike Riley for Australia's 5-0 thumping of Jamaica at Craven Cottage in October two years ago.

Even though Andre refereed a handful of Premiership games in his first season, promotion was not made official until the start of last season. He was unable to take part in any games for the first month because of a back injury.
His very first game in the Premiership was at The Valley as Charlton rattled four passed a helpless Norwich City in November 2004.

He has refereed Liverpool only four times previous and our record is one win, a draw and two defeats. Last season he refereed Stoke City twice, a 3-1 home defeat by Coventry City in November, and more recently in February this year a 4-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His assistants are Nick Kinseley and Michael Bull with Peter Walton as the fourth official.

Previous matches involving Andre Marriner and Liverpool:

8th February 2007 - Charlton beat us 2-0 at The Valley.

8th December 2007 - Our unbeaten Premiership records ends at Reading 3-1. Jack Hobbs is given his first start in the Premiership and Gerrard scores his 50th Premiership goal.

12th January 2008 - Torres scores an equaliser to gain a point at Middlesbrough.

15th March 2008 - Mascherano scores his first Liverpool goal, and Torres hits his 20th Premiership goal in 2-1 win at home to Reading.