The Premier League has announced that Anthony Taylor will officiate the upcoming match between Manchester City and Liverpool this Sunday. Arne Slot’s team is set to face Pep Guardiola’s side with a win potentially putting them 13 points ahead of their rivals Arsenal if results go their way in the meantime.
Liverpool is gearing up for a hectic week, starting with a trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday. This game was rescheduled due to Liverpool’s involvement in the Carabao Cup final on March 16. Manchester City will have even less preparation time as it is engaged in Champions League play-off duties in Madrid.
A win at Villa would put the Reds 10 points clear of Arsenal, who are currently in second place, albeit having played an extra game. The Gunners will face West Ham United at the weekend.
Liverpool has not won at the Etihad Stadium since 2018. Despite Guardiola’s team not performing as strongly this season compared to their previous dominance, this remains the most anticipated match of the weekend, hence PGMOL have assigned their most seasoned official to oversee it.
Taylor, hailing from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, is set to officiate his 394th English top-flight match when Liverpool face their rivals on Sunday. The 46-year-old has refereed four of the club’s previous matches this season, including the 3-0 away victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford last September and the 2-2 draw at Arsenal in October.
He has presided over five previous head-to-heads, with the most recent being a 1-0 win for the Reds in October 2022 at Anfield, and the rest ending in two draws and two losses. For Sunday’s match, he will be assisted by Gary Beswick and Lee Betts, while Andy Madley will serve as the fourth official. Stuart Attwell will be on VAR duty, with Adam Nunn assisting him.
Arne Slot has until Wednesday to respond to an FA charge regarding his behavior towards Merseyside derby official Michael Oliver last week. It is therefore possible that he could be on the touchline for both matches this week while the process is ongoing. Having already received a one-match suspension earlier in the season for accumulating three yellow cards, there is a chance that the Dutchman could miss multiple games in the ongoing title race.
