Albion chief Gus Poyet is on a collision course with another referee.

Andy D’Urso has been appointed for the South Coast derby against Championship leaders Southampton at The Amex on January 2.

Poyet had a run-in with D’Urso four years ago when he was assistant manager of Leeds.

He accused the Essex official of mounting a personal vendetta against him and Leeds manager Dennis Wise after a stormy Carling Cup defeat by Portsmouth.

Poyet, sent-off by D’Urso as a player for Spurs, was charged by the FA with improper conduct as a result of his outburst.

The return of D’Urso to The Amex comes at a sensitive time for Poyet, with the Uruguayan still angered by the performance of referee Craig Pawson in nine-man Albion’s 1-0 home defeat against Burnley last Saturday.

Poyet, fed-up by what he regards as unfair treatment of his team, revealed plans to contact referee bosses following Albion’s last away game at Middlesbrough.

Asked if he will be speaking to them in the wake of the Burnley controversy, Poyet said: “Again? It’s not worth it. I’m just worried they are coming into our games with a different approach.”

D’Urso has been at the Seagulls’ new stadium twice already this season. Fans reacted angrily when he booked Inigo Calderon for diving inside the box during the Carling Cup victory against Sunderland in August.

He also cautioned Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco and Alan Navarro in the tie with the Premier League club and showed yellow cards to Lewis Dunk and Liam Bridcutt in the home defeat by Crystal Palace a month later.

D’Urso will be under the microscope in the return clash against Southampton following the explosive first meeting between the teams at St Mary’s last month.

Referee Peter Walton awarded Saints two hotly disputed second-half penalties and sent-off Taricco in Albion’s 3-0 defeat.