CHERRIES' crucial match with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday will be referred by Mark Clattenburg – a little over one week after the controversial official apparently turned his back on the Premier League.

Clattenburg has quit English football to take up a £500,000 per year tax free post as Saudi Arabia's head of referees.

It was expected that the 41-year-old, who took charge of last year's European Championship and Champions League finals, as well as Manchester United's FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, would not officiate in this country again.

But it emerged yesterday that following a meeting with Mike Riley, head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, Clattenburg has agreed to referee up to four more Premier League matches before the end of the campaign.

The County Durham official has presided over one Cherries match this season, the 3-1 Vitality Stadium defeat by Southampton on December 19.

He was the man in the middle for the club's first ever Premier League game, against Aston Villa in August 2015, and handled last season's home match with West Brom, a 1-1 draw on May 7.