The Premier League has confirmed who will take charge of Liverpool’s meeting with Brighton this weekend.placeholder image
The Premier League has confirmed who will take charge of Liverpool’s meeting with Brighton this weekend. | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The Premier League has confirmed who will take charge of Liverpool’s meeting with Brighton this weekend.
A controversial figure among Liverpool fans has been named as part of the officiating team to oversee the Reds’ Premier League fixture this weekend.
Any reprieve from the Reds’ troublesome run of form lately has been short-lived. The reigning champions have just one win in their last five fixtures and will enter Saturday’s clash following two consecutive draws against recently promoted sides Sunderland and Leeds United.
Liverpool are currently down in tenth in the Premier League standings but just three points stand between them and the top four. Brighton are ahead of their weekend opponents by two places, but only on goal difference.
It remains to be seen whether Arne Slot will include Mohamed Salah in his match-day squad, having left him out for the Inter Milan trip. Salah will leave Anfield to join the Egyptian national team ahead of their run in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Who is the referee and VAR for Liverpool vs Brighton?
The Premier League has confirmed the officials who will oversee Liverpool’s meeting with Brighton on Saturday.
Taking charge of the match will be Craig Pawson, supported by assistant referees Lee Betts and Mat Wilkes, as well as fourth official Tom Nield. The video assistant referee is listed as Darren England, alongside his assistant Adrian Holmes.
England ruffled a lot of feathers two years ago when he was the VAR for Liverpool’s controversial Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur. During that match, the 39-year-old made a monumental error, which ultimately played a part in Liverpool’s defeat and resulted in him being removed from officiating further Reds games.
Darren England named VAR for Liverpool vs Brighton
England is now infamously known by Liverpool fans for his catastrophic mistake made during a VAR check on Luis Diaz back in September 2023.
The Colombian saw his opening goal against Tottenham incorrectly disallowed after England thought he was clearing the goal to be awarded to Liverpool.
On-field referee Simon Hooper had ruled Diaz’s goal out with an offside call and England backed the decision, under the impression it had gone the other way instead.
England completed his check and ruled in favour of the on-field decision, which he thought was the goal being given to the Reds. After giving the ‘check complete’ all-clear, Liverpool’s goal was chalked off as Hooper’s initial call for offside was mistakenly supported.
England was notified of the incorrect call but said he ‘can’t do anything’ after the replay operator asked for the game to be stopped.
The PGMOL released the audio from the calamitous ordeal and later removed England and his assistant on the day, Dan Cook, from further involvement in Liverpool games for the rest of the season. England was also affected financially, as lost match fees totalling to approximately £1,200 were deducted from his basic salary of approximately £150,000.
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