Brighton vs Liverpool: who is the referee and VAR official for the Premier League fixture?

The referee and fourth officials made the headlines for all the wrong reasons last weekend as nine-man Liverpool fell to a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp complained profusely about the Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota red cards, while the decision to disallow Luis Diaz’s first half strike was seen as a clear and obvious error by the VAR officials.

Such controversy could play a vital role in the title race come the end of the season and the finest of margins can often be the difference between achieving silverware and finishing as runner-up. Recent history from the 2021/22 campaign and the 2018/19 season proves this and the Reds missed out on the title to Manchester City by one point on both occasions.

Liverpool will aim to get their title push back on track when they face Brighton in a crucial Premier League clash and they too will hope to bounce back from a demoralising 6-1 loss to Aston Villa. The referee and VAR officials for the game will hope to avoid hitting the headlines during the upcoming clash between Liverpool and Brighton, but who is taking charge of this weekend’s encounter?

Here is all you need to know.

Who is the referee for Brighton vs Liverpool?

Liverpool’s upcoming clash with Brighton will be refereed by Anthony Taylor, who himself has had run-ins with Jurgen Klopp in recent seasons. Taylor sent off the Red’s boss during a 1-0 win over Manchester City in October last year. Klopp was cautioned for yelling in the face of the linesman Gary Beswick, who is also involved at the Amex this Sunday.

Taylor started his refereeing career in 2002 and has been in charge of a number of Premier League matches since 2010. He refereed a total of 43 matches last term and brandished an average of 3.86 yellow cards per game, according to Soccer Base.

Who are the VAR officials for Brighton vs Liverpool?

Anthony Taylor will work alongside assistant referee Adam Nunn for the contest, while Craig Pawson is tasked with fourth official duties. Should the referee need it, VAR duties will be carried out by Chris Kavanagh who will be joined by assistant Matthew Wilkes. Kavanagh was involved in controversy back in March 2022 when he overlooked a handball decision during Man City’s win over Everton, which ultimately proved costly to Liverpool in that season’s title race.

How to watch Brighton vs Liverpool

Brighton’s home game against Liverpool will be televised on Sky Sports Main Event this weekend. Build up to the game on Sunday begins at 1pm while the game will kick off an hour later at 2pm. Fans are also able to stream all of the action through SkyGo and the app can be downloaded on a mobile phone or electronic device.