AITOR KARANKA called for the ‘very best referee’ for this Saturday’s promotion decider with Brighton and the Middlesbrough boss has been told that the Premier League’s Mike Dean will be the man in the middle.

Dean was in charge of Newcastle United’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and 31 of his matches this season have been at the top level in English football.

Karanka is understood to be satisfied with the Football League’s decision to hand the biggest game of the day in the Championship to the 47-year-old from The Wirral, Merseyside.

The Middlesbrough head coach had earlier said: “I would like to have the very best referee. The Championship is one of the best leagues in the world and we are both playing to get promotion.

“I am going to put the best team possible on the pitch and Chris Hughton will put his best 11 on the pitch too.

“And so this game needs the best referees, the best linesmen, the best fourth official - not for Brighton, not for Middlesbrough but for the league.

“This game is being watched all around the world and for the best of the league we need the best officials possible. If a referee makes one mistake the implications are huge - but even a Premier League referee can make mistakes and I prefer not to think about that.

“I can only think about my players and how we play, I can’t control the other things. That is not in my hands.”

Karanka – and other senior Middlesbrough officials – were left incensed on Friday night when a mistake by inexperienced linesman Tom Nield at Birmingham ruled out what should have been a winner from Daniel Ayala.

Dean will have assistants Simon Long and Ian Hussin with him as well as fourth official Darren Drysdale at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough know a point against Brighton, who need to win, will be enough to guarantee promotion to the Premier League.