Arsenal vs Man City referee 'banned' from taking charge of Liverpool games ahead of Carabao Cup final

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Peter Bankes will take charge of the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City on Sunday, but Premier League rules mean he cannot officiate Liverpool games

Peter Bankes previously took charge of Arsenal and Manchester City in the 2024/25 season(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Seasoned Premier League official Peter Bankes has been appointed to oversee Sunday's Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City. Yet, he would have been prohibited from refereeing the fixture had Liverpool been participating.

The Reds are amongst two clubs Bankes is prevented from officiating by the league, owing to his county FA affiliation with the Liverpool Football Association. This restriction equally applies to matches featuring Liverpool's Merseyside neighbors Everton.

Bankes will receive support for the Wembley showpiece from assistants Neil Davies and Steve Meredith, with Marc Perry designated as reserve assistant referee. Tom Bramall, who has overseen Arsenal and Manchester City fixtures in the league this campaign, serves as fourth official.

VAR technology will be operational for Sunday's Wembley final. John Brooks has been appointed as the video assistant referee, with Dan Robathan serving as his assistant, reports The Mirror.

Premier League officials must declare their club allegiances, enabling the league to prevent them from overseeing that side or any fixtures which could directly impact that club.

Peter Bankes took charge of the second leg of Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)

Teams from their geographical region or designated FA are similarly excluded, irrespective of whether they support that side. The latter category clarifies why Bankes is ineligible to officiate matches involving either Merseyside club. His local FA publicly acknowledged his promotion to the Premier League's 'A' List of elite officials ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

Throughout his career, Bankes has overseen 14 Arsenal fixtures, including the second leg of its Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea. The north London side has secured victory in 10 of those encounters, with one draw and three defeats.

Manchester City's record under Bankes stands at six victories, one stalemate and five losses. Among those defeats was the comprehensive 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal last term.

Remarkably, the official hasn't issued a single red card or spot-kick across those 14 Arsenal fixtures. His 12 City matches featured just one dismissal, when John Stones saw red during Pep Guardiola's side's triumph over Aston Villa back in 2021.

This season, Bankes has refereed 22 Premier League encounters in 2025/26, awarding six penalties and brandishing four red cards. Two of those dismissals occurred in a single September fixture, with Chelsea's Robert Sanchez and Manchester United's Casemiro both receiving their marching orders during the Old Trafford meeting.