Anthony Taylor, a Manchester-born official, is set to referee the upcoming match between Manchester United and Liverpool on Sunday. This will mark the fifth time Taylor has overseen this high-stakes fixture since 2016.
Given his roots in Wythenshawe, a suburb of Manchester, Taylor’s connection to the city often becomes a talking point whenever he’s assigned to Liverpool matches. However, his experience with Liverpool is extensive; he has officiated more games for the Reds than for any other team, with Sunday’s match bringing that total to 61. Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, and Manchester United round out the top five clubs he has refereed the most.
Taylor’s history with this fierce rivalry includes notable matches such as last season’s 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, as well as Liverpool’s memorable 4-2 and 5-0 victories at the same venue during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. His first experience refereeing a game between these two teams was in 2016 when the match ended in a goalless draw at Anfield.
Despite speculation about potential bias due to his Manchester roots, it’s worth noting that fans from both Liverpool and Manchester express similar opinions about his impartiality. While Arsenal holds the highest win rate in games officiated by Taylor at 60%, Manchester United is close behind with a 59.6% win rate. Manchester City, Tottenham, and Liverpool have also won more than half of their matches under his watch.
For Sunday’s clash, Taylor will be assisted by Gary Beswick and Andy Nunn, with Sam Barrott serving as the fourth official. John Brooks will be on VAR, assisted by Harry Lennard.
Interestingly, earlier this month, referees’ chief Howard Webb mentioned plans to disclose the club allegiances of officials, although he later retracted this statement. Taylor is known to support Altrincham, a non-league club, and despite his busy schedule, he reportedly still buys a season ticket each year, even if he can’t attend all the matches.
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