The match officials for a pivotal midweek round of Premier League action have been confirmed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), with experienced referees appointed to oversee several high-profile contests in Matchweek 26, which spans Tuesday 10, Wednesday 11, and Thursday 12 February.
The selections place some of the division’s most prominent and card-happy referees at the heart of the matchday 26 drama.
Leading the appointments is Anthony Taylor, who will take charge of Tottenham Hotspur’s clash with Newcastle United.
Taylor, alongside his regular assistants Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, is one of the division’s most experienced officials, having overseen 19 matches this season.
His approach is often under intense scrutiny, a trend likely to continue given his league-leading tally of 72 yellow cards in the 2025/26 campaign. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for this fixture will be Nick Hopton, with Stuart Attwell serving as the Assistant VAR.
Another marquee fixture, West Ham United against Manchester United at the London Stadium, will be refereed by Simon Hooper.
Hooper, assisted by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long, is another official with a notable disciplinary record, having shown 59 yellow cards and 2 red cards this season. The VAR booth for this encounter will be manned by Craig Pawson, supported by Dan Robathan.
The matchday programme concludes with a London derby as Brentford host Arsenal on Thursday night. The on-field responsibility falls to Tony Harrington, who will be supported by assistants Steve Meredith and the trailblazing Sian Massey-Ellis.
Stuart Attwell, fresh from his assistant VAR role earlier in the week, will step up as the lead VAR for this match, with Constantine Hatzidakis as his assistant.
Other notable appointments see Chris Kavanagh officiate Sunderland’s meeting with Liverpool. Kavanagh, who has shown 65 yellow cards this term, will be assisted by Dan Cook and Marc Perry.
The VAR for this fixture will be Darren England. Elsewhere, Paul Tierney will referee Manchester City’s home match against Fulham, while Peter Bankes, who shares the league lead for red cards issued (3), will oversee Aston Villa against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The full roster of officials demonstrates the PGMOL’s reliance on its core group of seasoned referees during a tightly packed schedule.
With the league table taking shape, the performance of these officials and their colleagues in the VAR room will be as critical as ever in shaping the outcomes of these crucial midweek fixtures.