Referee and VAR confirmed for Merseyside derby at Anfield

Craig Pawson has been appointed as the referee for Liverpool clash against Everton at Anfield this weekend.

The first Merseyside derby of the 2023/24 season is set to be the early Premier League kick off on Saturday, with top-level domestic action resuming after the international break.

The Premier League has now confirmed the officials for gameweek nine, with Pawson named as the man in charge of the game at Anfield.

In addition David Coote will be VAR, with Stuart Burt as assistant VAR. Thomas Bramall is the fourth official, while Marc Perry and Wade Smith will serve as the assistants running the line.

READ MORE: Liverpool vs Everton – Match Preview

Saturday's meeting will be the second time Pawson has taken charge of a Merseyside derby, having officiated the 1-1 draw at Anfield back in 2017.

He awarded a second-half penalty to Everton, which was scored by Wayne Rooney, after Mohamed Salah had struck before the break.

44-year-old Pawson has refereed a total of 36 Liverpool matches to date, with the Reds winning 25, losing six and drawing five. He has yet to show a red card in a game involving Liverpool.

Fourth official Bramall was the referee who sent off Alexis Mac Allister in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth back in August, only for the ban to be overturned on appeal.

Coote was also the VAR for Liverpool's controversial 2-2 draw with Everton back in 2020, during which Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending injury from an unpenalised Jordan Pickford challenge, while the Reds also had a late winner ruled out for offside.

After that match, refereeing body the PGMOL denied claims that Coote 'forgot' the rules after reports emerged that he thought the fact that Van Dijk was offside meant he could not recommend Pickford be sent off. Coote was dropped from refereeing and VAR duties the following gameweek after the incident.

Meanwhile, Darren England – the man at the centre of the VAR debacle during Liverpool's defeat to Tottenham – will make a return to his duties this weekend, having been appointed fourth official for the clash at the Gtech Community Stadium for Brentford vs Burnley.