Need to know
Manchester City face Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a clash that may decide the fate of the Premier League title, with Anthony Taylor selected as the referee
Anthony Taylor
Anthony Taylor is the referee for Man City's clash with Arsenal(Image: Getty Images)
Who Man City vs Arsenal referee Anthony Taylor supports
The appointment: PGMOL confirmed that Anthony Taylor will take charge of arguably the season's biggest game. Taylor is one of the most experienced referees in the Premier League, having spent 16 years officiating in the division.
Taylor's supported club: Despite being born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Taylor is a lifelong supporter of nearby Altrincham. This has been confirmed once again by former referee Graham Scott, who noted in The Athletic that Taylor has held a season ticket at Moss Lane for many years and frequently attends the National League club's matches when his officiating schedule allows.
The "Manchester" controversy: Because Taylor hails from Greater Manchester, his appointment for matches involving Manchester City or Manchester United often draws scrutiny from rival fanbases. However, his declared allegiance to a non-league side clears him of any conflict of interest under current PGMOL guidelines, with Scott insisting he has no ties to United or City.
Disclosure rules explained: Professional referees must declare their club allegiances to PGMOL at the start of their careers and update them if necessary. They are strictly prohibited from officiating matches involving the team they support, or matches involving that team's direct rivals, to ensure complete impartiality and protect the referee from undue pressure.
Man City vs Arsenal: This match is being billed as a "winner-takes-all" encounter. Arsenal currently lead City by six points at the top of the table - but given City's game in hand on the Gunners, a win on Sunday would hand them the advantage.
Recent meeting: City will head into the tie full of confidence after beating Arsenal comprehensively in the Carabao Cup final last month. A double from Nico O'Reilly sealed a 2-0 win for Pep Guardiola's team at Wembley to extend Arsenal's six-year wait for silverware.
Contrasting form: The Gunners have been wobbling in recent weeks, losing three of their last five games in all competitions. City, meanwhile, are in fine form, having smashed both Liverpool and Chelsea this month.
Taylor's history in the fixture: Taylor is no stranger to this fixture, having officiated several high-intensity clashes between the two sides. He was the middle man when they met back in March 2024, a game that ended 0-0, and their clash in February 2023, which finished 3-1 to City.