Kevin Friend taken off refereeing duties for Stoke City-Tottenham Hotspur match

The Premier League has confirmed that referee Kevin Friend has been removed from Tottenham Hotspur's game at Stoke City next week due to his links with table-toppers Leicester City.

The 44-year-old official, who is thought to be a supporter of hometown club Bristol City, now lives in Leicester and has attended a number of the Foxes' matches in a personal capacity.

As a result of his connection with Spurs' title rivals, the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) has opted to replace Friend as an official for next Monday's clash due to "the timing and context".

The PGMOL added in a statement: "It was felt unnecessary to add extra scrutiny on the refereeing appointment."

Neil Swarbrick will now take charge at Stoke, while Friend will oversee Newcastle United's showdown with Manchester City the following day.