Kevin Friend will referee tonight's game on the south coast.

He was in charge of Sunderland's 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa in December, a game where he showed captain Lorik Cana a red card.

Friend has issued 83 yellow cards and shown three reds in his 23 games this season - his record being eight yellows during the game between Middlesbrough and Ipswich at the Riverside in September.

He was also the man in the middle during the Black Cats 2-0 away day defeat at White Hart Lane in early November.

Last season Friend took charge of 46 games, showing 124 yellow cards and six reds. He refereed the second leg of the League Two play-off semi-final between Rochdale and Gillingham.

Friend began refereeing at the age of 13. In 2003 he made it onto the National List of Referees and has been appointed to officiate a FA Vase Final at Wembley Stadium and a FL Trophy Final at the Millennium Stadium.

He is in his first season on the Barclays Premier League list.