Arsenal vs Man City Carabao Cup final referee is banned from officiating two teams | Football | Sport

Manchester City and Arsenal are set to face off for the Carabao Cup later this month, with some even suggesting it could act as an early title decider. The two clubs are battling it out at the top of the Premier League table, with plenty also riding on the Wembley showpiece.

Mikel Arteta’s side are on the lookout for their first piece of silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2020 – the Spanish manager’s only trophy since taking charge of the Gunners in 2019. While Pep Guardiola’s City are no strangers to success, it would represent their first trophy since 2024, as well as the first for a number of players who have joined as part of the club’s rebuild.

It’s expected to be a barnstorming affair in the capital, with the referee for the clash having been confirmed as Peter Bankes. A statement from PGMOL read: “Referee Peter Bankes will lead the team of match officials for the @Carabao_Cup final [trophy emoji].

“Peter will be supported by assistant referees Neil Davies and Steve Meredith. Tom Bramall has been appointed as fourth official, with Marc Perry as reserve assistant referee. John Brooks and Dan Robathan will operate as VAR and AVAR for the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 22 March.”

But had one of two different teams made it to the final, Bankes wouldn’t have been considered for the match. That’s because Bankes’ upbringing as a Merseysider and his affiliation with the Liverpool Football Association mean he’s prohibited from taking charge of any and all matches that include Liverpool or Everton.

Referees are required to declare which football team they support and are not allowed to officiate games involving that club, or their rivals. It’s often the case they can’t referee matches that directly impact their chosen club, for example, in a title-decider or a relegation battle.

What’s more, it’s also likely that a referee won’t be given a match with other teams affiliated to their County FA or in the local area to avoid any form of potential malpractice. There will be no such worries when City and Arsenal face each other in the Carabao Cup final, given it’s a game in isolation and neither Liverpool nor Everton are involved.