Premier League rule stops 3 referees from taking charge of Everton vs Liverpool derby
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCPGMOL conflict-of-interest rules mean Peter Bankes, Rob Jones and Jarred Gillett are unavailable for Sunday's crucial Merseyside derby atHill Dickinson StadiumArne Slot speaks to Chris Kavanagh(Image: Getty Images)Three Premier League match officials are not allowed to take charge of Sunday's Everton vs Liverpool clash owing to conflict-of-interest regulations. In their place, Chris Kavanagh — who comes from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester and supports non-league side Droylsden — will take charge as referee.READ MORE: How Liverpool could line up next season with 3 transfers to transform Arne Slot's sideREAD MORE: Arne Slot makes bold prediction for next season and hits back at Liverpool 'doubts'Liverpool go into the fixture looking to bounce back following their Champions League exit at the hands of PSG in midweek.
A 2-0 defeat to the European champions at Anfield on Tuesday confirmed a chastening 4-0 aggregate loss, all but rubber-stamping a trophyless campaign for Arne Slot's side.Attention now turns to securing a place in next season's Champions League. David Moyes' side are in fine fettle, having won three of their last five league outings, including a commanding 3-0 thrashing of Chelsea.A victory for the Toffees would narrow the gap between the two sides to just two points and could propel them as high as sixth, bolstering their push for Champions League qualification — 21 years after Moyes steered Everton to the cusp of Europe's premier competition in 2005, when they finished fourth but fell at the qualifying hurdle.It would also represent only Everton's second Merseyside derby triumph since February 2021.
Liverpool have held sway over the fixture in recent years, claiming six of the last nine encounters.Everton and Liverpool will resume rivalries(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Their most recent meeting at Anfield in September ended in a 2-1 victory for Liverpool, with goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike cancelling out Idrissa Gueye's second-half consolation for Everton.Everton's solitary win in the past five years came in April 2024, a 2-0 victory in what proved to be Jurgen Klopp's final Merseyside derby. Nevertheless, Alexander Isak's recent comeback from an extended spell on the sidelines should help relieve the pressure in attack.With so much riding on the outcome, Sunday's derby looks set to be one of the most significant in recent memory, with Liverpool battling to secure a top-five finish and Everton eyeing a rare chance to narrow the gap on their rivals and breathe new life into their own European aspirations.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Arne SlotLiverpool FCEverton FC