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The referee has been appointed for Monday’s fixture at the Deepdale Stadium, in a must-win game for Sunderland if they want to make the play-offs.

Robert Madley will take charge of Sunderland’s clash with Preston on Monday afternoon, a game that will determine whether the 6,000 travelling fans will have a play-off campaign to look forward to – or not.

Madley has taken charge of 22 fixtures across the EFL this season and has shown 93 yellow cards and a whopping six red cards this season. He has taken charge of just one Sunderland match this season on September 17, 2022, in their away trip to Vicarage Road in a 2-2 draw.

The 2-2 draw against Watford saw Madley produce four yellow cards in the game, which were all awarded to Sunderland as he booked Corry Evans, Patrick Roberts, Jewison Bennette and Jay Matete.

A general view of an EFL match ball. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images).

Across the six games in which Madley has produced a red card, he has averaged more than six yellow cards in each of the ties, so Sunderland fans must be wary that if numerous yellow cards are shown, somebody may just get sent off.

Andrew Fox and Carl Fitch-Jackson are due to be the assistant referees for the Black Cats' final match of the season, with Robert Lewis as the fourth official.

Tony Mowbray’s men are currently seventh with 66 points, two points behind Millwall and three points behind Coventry who place fifth. The Black Cats must beat Preston and hope one of Blackburn or Middlesbrough beat the Black Cats' play-off rivals.

Referee appointed for crunch Preston North End v Sunderland game