WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury gestures during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth at ...
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury gestures during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth at Molineux on February 18, 2023. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
The EFL have confirmed the match official appointments for the upcoming round of League Cup fixtures, including Arsenal’s trip away to Fleetwood Town.
BARNSLEY, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury reacts during the Sky Bet League One Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg match between Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers at Oakwell Stadium on May 19, 2023. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
BARNSLEY, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury reacts during the Sky Bet League One Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg match between Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers at Oakwell Stadium on May 19, 2023. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
The EFL have confirmed the match official appointments for all of their fourth round League Cup fixtures, including Arsenal’s trip away to Fleetwood Town on Tuesday.
Michael Salisbury will referee the match, assisted by Matthew Wilkes and Alex James. Lewis Smith will act as the fourth official.
There will be no VAR in use for the match, just as was the case in the previous round.
LONDON, ENGLAND: The LED board shows the VAR check for Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers foul on Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: The LED board shows the VAR check for Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers foul on Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
The EFL previously decided only to use VAR in rounds of the League Cup when every single stadium to host a match during that round has access to the technology.
Effectively, that means the final is the only round guaranteed to use VAR, as Wembley has access to the system and the Wembley final is the only match of that round.
Last season, VAR didn’t come into play until the semi-finals, as Championship side Cardiff City hosted one of the quarter-finals.
This ended up being pivotal, as eventual competition winners Manchester City avoided a 16th-minute red card in the quarter-finals due to the lack of a review process.
BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury reacts during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Aston Villa at Turf Moor on August 27, 2023. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
BURNLEY, ENGLAND: Referee, Michael Salisbury reacts during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Aston Villa at Turf Moor on August 27, 2023. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Salisbury’s appointment means this is the first time in four League Cup games that Arsenal haven’t been refereed by Peter Bankes.
Somewhat bizarrely, Bankes refereed Arsenal’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea, the League Cup final against Manchester City, and the the League Cup third round against Ipswich Town.
Salisbury has only refereed Arsenal twice before, in a 4-0 win over Bournemouth in 2023, and a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in 2025. But he’s been the VAR official on many more occasions, acting as the VAR 19 times in Arsenal games.
LONDON, ENGLAND: The LED screen inside the stadium displays the VAR decision of 'No Goal - offside' for a goal scored by Kai Havertz of Arsenal (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on November 10, 2024. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: The LED screen inside the stadium displays the VAR decision of 'No Goal - offside' for a goal scored by Kai Havertz of Arsenal (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on November 10, 2024. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Will there be VAR for Fleetwood Town vs Arsenal?The EFL have confirmed the match official appointments for the upcoming round of League Cup fixtures, including Arsenal’s trip away to Fleetwood Town.
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