Mike Dean Praised As One Of Best Referees In Premier League History Ahead Of Final Game

Two familiar faces will bid farewell to the Premier League after Sunday's game between Chelsea and Watford.

Watford manager Roy Hodgson will resume his retirement, having been tempted out of it in January.

The match at Stamford Bridge will also be Mike Dean's final appointment as an on-field Premier League referee.

Hodgson spoke highly of Dean on Friday as he told BBC Sport: "I think he's been one of the best referees the Premier League have had without a shadow of a doubt."

Dean, 53, made his EPL debut in 2000 and has since taken charge of 559 matches, shown more than 2,000 yellow cards and sent off over 100 players.

He has also awarded 183 penalty kicks.

Referee Mike Dean pictured during a Premier League game between Man City and Brighton in April

IMAGO/News Images/Conor Molloy

Dean is not the only Premier League referee stepping down after Sunday's games.

Martin Atkinson and Jon Moss will also hang up their whistles for good this weekend.

Atkinson will take charge of Crystal Palace vs Manchester United, while Moss will be the man in the middle at Leicester City vs Southampton.

Dean's final match of the season does not have too much riding on it for either team. Chelsea are guaranteed to finish third, while Watford have already been relegated.

Watford will start the weekend in 19th but could finish bottom if they fail to win at Chelsea as Norwich - who host Tottenham - are just a point behind.

The difference between finishing last and second last in terms of Premier League prize money is £2.2 million.

On his own retirement, Hodgson added: "Every time you leave a job there's an element of emotion because you get attached to the people you work with.

"The players, I must say, they've not let me down in the training sessions and what they've tried to do in the games."

"I'm very disappointed, of course, that it didn't work out. But that doesn't alter the fact that I always knew on the 22nd of May that I would free myself from the burdens and responsibilities of being a Premier League manager."