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Everton and Liverpool will miss the coming weekend's trial of semi-automated offside technology in English football(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

This weekend, seven FA Cup fifth round fixtures are set to trial semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the first-ever time in domestic English football.

As they were both eliminated in the previous round of the competition, Everton and Liverpool will therefore miss out as rivals get the first taster.

Both David Moyes and Arne Slot have overseen emphatic periods with their clubs in recent months, so it may come as a disappointment to not have a weekend match to look forward to and keep momentum going.



On the other hand, they can only point the finger at themselves as Everton and Liverpool failed to make it beyond the FA Cup's fourth round.

It was only after their respective eliminations to Bournemouth and Plymouth Argyle that the Football Association drew the matches for the next stage and later confirmed that from this point onwards, SAOT was to be introduced in trial format.

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A statement read: "Video Assistant Referees [VAR] will be active across all eight ties of this season’s Emirates FA Cup fifth round proper.

"This will include in-stadium VAR announcements, where match officials will announce their final decision in relation to reviewed incidents to provide improved clarity and understanding for spectators and viewers.

"The fifth round will also utilise semi-automated offside technology in all seven matches taking place at Premier League stadiums, which is the first time it will be used live in competitive matches in English football.

"The new technology will be introduced in the Emirates FA Cup fifth round, in collaboration with the Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited [PGMOL], following an extensive testing period that has taken place during the 2024-25 season."

So, this means Aston Villa hosting Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest hosting Ipswich Town, Manchester United hosting Fulham, Newcastle United hosting Brighton, Bournemouth hosting Wolves, Manchester City hosting Plymouth and Crystal Palace hosting Millwall will all be part of this ground-breaking test whilst Merseyside's clubs sit out.

The only match not being held at a Premier League venue in the upcoming round of the FA Cup is Preston North End, who play Burnley.

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That said, the Reds are no strangers to SAOT as that has been in use in the Champions League since the 2022/23 campaign and the numerous international players between theirs and Everton's squads will have come across it playing for the countries.

What's more, it may not be long until the English top-flight sees it introduced as the FA's statement concluded: "Following successful live operation in the Emirates FA Cup, the Premier League will look to implement the system later this season.

"Semi-automated offside technology will provide more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and produce virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.

The operation of Semi-Automated Offside Technology does not change the accuracy of the decision making but enhances the speed and efficiency of the process."


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