The Lancashire official has refereed 18 games so far this season, with 12 of those coming in the Premier League.

Fifty-year-old Swarbrick was promoted to the Select Group of Referees who officiate top flight matches ahead of the 2011-12 season, and has taken charge of just one United game so far this campaign - the penalty shoot-out defeat to Hull City in the EFL Cup quarter-final back in November.

On that occasion, he dished out six yellow cards and one red - to the Tigers' Dieumerci Mbokani - at the KCOM Stadium. So far this season, Swarbrick has handed out 72 yellow and two reds in total.

Swarbrick took charge of two Magpies games in the Premier League last season - the 2-1 victory over West Ham United at St. James' Park in January and the 1-0 defeat at Stoke City.

His assistants at St. Andrew's will be Adrian Holmes and Daniel Leach.