Premier League make Newcastle United & Arsenal official decision after Liverpool Jurgen Klopp complaint
The Premier League has confirmed the match officials for Newcastle United versus Arsenal on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 12:30pm).
Newcastle head into the match looking to end a run of five games without a win in the Premier League but boosted by the 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup in midweek. A goal from Alexander Isak and an own goal by Axel Disasi set up a quarter-final clash at home to Brentford.
The last time Newcastle and Arsenal met at St James’ Park in November last year, it turned to be a heated and slightly controversial affair with Eddie Howe’s side running out 1-0 winners.
Anthony Gordon’s goal was subjected to three VAR checks, the first was to see if Joe Willock had kept the ball in play, the second was to whether Joelinton had fouled Gabriel and the third was for an offside on Gordon. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta labelled the decision an “absolute disgrace”.
The PGMOL has assigned John Brooks as referee, and he too had a fairly afternoon his last visit to St James’ Park.
Brooks was the man in the middle for Newcastle vs Liverpool last season, where he sent off Virgil Van Dijk. Despite their one-man advantage and leading through Gordon’s opener, Howe’s men suffered a late collapse as substitute Darwin Nunez struck twice.
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Van Dijk was red carded for a last man challenge, a decision that didn’t go down well with then Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
“I don’t think it is a red card,” Klopp said. “It’s pretty much no contact, very little, and it’s on the way to the ball, but what can I say? The decision is like this, I cannot change it and I don’t want it. It’s just, would I give this in a training game? Definitely not. There are reasons why I am not a ref and they are.”
Van Dijk's reaction to the red card directed at Brooks saw him handed an additional one-match ban and fined £100,000 after admitting to acting in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards the match official.
Brooks will be assisted by Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan with Darren Bond as fourth official. Jarred Gillett is on VAR assisted by Darren Cann.