Arsenal will face Burnley in the Premier League this weekend and the referee appointments have now been confirmed
11:13, 29 Oct 2025Updated 11:24, 29 Oct 2025
Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal
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Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
The Premier League have confirmed the referee appointment for Arsenal's clash against Burnley this weekend.
The Gunners will be looking to secure another three points as they continue their quest to win the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta's side claimed a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend, and now have a four-point lead at the top of the table heading into November.
Saturday afternoon will see Arsenal travel to Turf Moor to face Burnley in the Premier League, and the top-flight have confirmed who will take charge of the match.
Chris Kavanagh will be in charge of the game between the Gunners and the Clarets, and will be assisted by Dan Cook and Ian Hussin with Rob Jones on VAR duties. It was Kavanagh who was the referee when Arsenal faced Brighton at home last season in a controversial 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Declan Rice was infamously sent off by Kavanagh for two yellow cards, with the second caution being issued after the England international kicked the ball away before a free-kick to the Seagulls.
Declan Rice of Arsenal is sent off by referee Chris Kavanagh against Brighton (Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Chris Kavanagh sent off Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice in an infamous incident last season
Arteta went on to express his amazement at the decision from Kavanagh, which went on to play a key role in the Gunners dropping points in the title race.
"I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be," Arteta told reporters on August 31 last year.
"In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan (on the back of his leg), he turns around, he doesn't see the player coming and he touches the ball.
"By law, he can make that call, but then by law he needs to make the next call, which is red card so we play 10vs10. This is what amazed me. At this level it’s amazing."
Audio released from the Premier League's 'Mic'd Up' show at the time revealed Kavanagh said he had no choice but to show the England midfielder a second booking.
"I don't like it, but he's knocked the ball," said Kavanagh on the pitch. "Second yellow, for me. I had no choice, he knocks the ball away. As [Veltman's] about to kick it, he knocks the ball.
"I have no choice. He's put me in an awful position. Dec, you need to go I'm afraid."
Kavanagh has refereed five Arsenal matches since the draw with Brighton at the start of last season, with two wins, three draws and one defeat.
That one defeat came earlier this season when the Gunners lost their only game of the campaign so far in a 1-0 loss at the hands of Premier League title rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
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