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The Premier League ball for the new season (Getty Images) | Getty Images
Liverpool return to domestic action with a bang against Man Utd with Arne Slot and fans alike are unlikely to be happy with the Premier League’s choice of officials.
Liverpool fans won’t be the only ones who aren’t happy with the selection with Arne Slot also likely to have rolled his eyes on seeing who will be the man in the middle.
Who is the referee for Liverpool vs Manchester United
A Sunday tea-time kick off at 4:30pm sees arguably the biggest fixture in the Premier League for the first time this season between Liverpool and Manchester United with two managers who are under pressure both needing a win for different reasons. Ruben Amorim is fighting to keep his job, whilst Arne Slot is looking for his team to find form and put the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table. How Arsenal handle being the leaders is going to be an interesting watch.
Liverpool will be looking to get back to winning ways after defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea soured what has been a good start to the season in terms of results even if the performances left a lot to be desired. What looked like champions finding a way to win, now looks like a side whose luck ran out.
For United, it is impossible to judge which version of their team is going to turn up with Amorim struggling to see any consistency out of a squad that has also undergone major surgery in the summer.
The Premier League has confirmed that Michael Oliver will take charge of the much-anticipated Liverpool vs Man Utd clash this weekend. He will be supported by assistants Stuart Burt and Tim Wood. The fourth official is Craig Pawson whilst the VAR team consists of Darren England and assistant VAR James Bell.
VAR controversy and referee jinx
In an age when the on-field officials seem reluctant to make the big calls, it is the sight of England as the VAR that will add to the alarm. He has officiated two Liverpool games in the last year - a 2-0 win over Bournemouth earlier in the 2025 and the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on the last day of the 2024/25 season.
In both games England gave the opposition a helping hand from the middle of the park, however, it is his role as VAR in the controversial defeat to Spurs in 2023/24 that will long be remembered.
A 2-1 defeat to Spurs saw a perfectly good goal by Luis Diaz disallowed for offside, a breakdown in communication saw it chalked off and left Jurgen Klopp none too pleased. If this isn’t bad enough, Liverpool’s record with Michael Oliver in charge isn’t great either with 66 games as him as referee only yielding 31 wins with 21 draws and 14 losses.
Meanwhile, last season Slot was shown a straight red card after he confronted Oliver and one of his assistant referees on the pitch following his the dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park in February. Slot was given a two-match ban with the Dutchman admitting he said to Oliver “if we don't win the league, I will have you to thank for that".
The chances of the football being the talking point at full-time look very slim indeed.
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