The officiating team for Liverpool’s Premier League encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers has been confirmed, and it may be an unwelcome homecoming for the Reds.
Darren England has been designated fourth official for Liverpool’s Premier League encounter against Wolves on Saturday, a year after he was involved in VAR controversy when the Reds faced Tottenham.
England was on VAR duty in September 2023, on a contentious afternoon at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Simon Hooper as the on-field referee. Liverpool had two players sent red before losing a last-gasp victory, but the most significant flashpoint was a disallowed goal for the Merseyside team.
Luis Diaz was called offside after sprinting through and beating Guglielmo Vicario, and England gave the ‘check complete’ decision after wrongly assuming Hooper had given the goal and it had not been thrown out. It was too late for the VAR staff to correct their blunder.
England returned to VAR duty for the first time in April, and has refereed a handful of top-flight games this season and last. However, Saturday will mark his first appearance in a Liverpool game since that fatal day.
Anthony Taylor will referee the contest at Molineux, returning from his fourth official duties after a week away. Taylor received vitriol during the Bournemouth versus Chelsea game, in which he booked 14 players, prompting the Premier League to initiate an inquiry.
Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn will be Taylor’s assistants for the game, with England acting as fourth official. Michael Salisbury is on VAR duty for the game, with assistance from Dan Robathan.
England has only refereed two Premier League games this season: Chelsea’s 6-2 victory over Wolves in August and Leicester’s draw with Everton in the final round of fixtures. He has also overseen games in the EFL Cup and Champions League qualifications.
Liverpool’s Diaz was in the midst of a terrible run in front of goal when his attempt against Spurs was called off. He has recaptured his form this season, netting five goals in as many Premier League games, but revealed in October 2023 that the Tottenham drama had an affect on him.
“The goal issue was a bit complicated,” he told Colombian newspaper El Heraldo. “At the moment, it impacted me hard, but not just me, but all of my teammates.
“In the midst of the game, we spoke about it a lot; it was a favorable outcome that would benefit us. These are things that happen; referees are human. You have to take it easy; the next one will be.”
If championship contenders Manchester City drop points against Newcastle on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool will know they can climb to the top of the league with a win over Wolves. Gary O’Neil’s hosts are still hunting for their first win of the season, sitting at the bottom of the table with only one point from five matches.
