Liverpool fans left frustrated as Carabao Cup final referee is confirmed
Liverpool supporters are unlikely to be thrilled by any referee appointment these days, but Arne Slot and Mohamed Salah may be particularly disappointed with the latest announcement.
With the Carabao Cup final fast approaching, it’s now officially confirmed via efl.com that John Brooks will be the referee for the Reds’ clash.
Brooks is the same official who controversially missed two blatant fouls on Salah during Liverpool’s game against Chelsea at Anfield earlier this season — incidents that occurred within moments of each other. Rather than issuing a yellow card to Levi Colwill and awarding a penalty, Brooks waved play on, sparking plenty of frustration.
In that same match, Arne Slot was seen losing his cool after a soft foul was given against Darwin Nunez, an outburst that quickly went viral and offered an early glimpse into Slot’s frustrations with Premier League officiating.
Slot certainly won’t be pleased to see Brooks taking charge again.
The full list of officials for the final includes:
Assistant Referees: Eddie Smart and Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth Official: Darren England
Reserve Assistant Referee: Steve Meredith
VAR: Stuart Attwell
AVAR: Sian Massey-Ellis
Given the inconsistency of refereeing decisions this season, it’s hard to imagine any set of officials that would leave Liverpool fans feeling confident.
Ultimately, it will be up to Liverpool to win the final on merit, possibly needing to build a comfortable lead to avoid any controversial moments deciding the match.
Before then, the Reds face two Champions League fixtures and a league game against Southampton, but the Wembley showdown is shaping up to be the marquee event of March.
Hopefully, Liverpool can power through these challenges with strong performances and maintain their momentum across all competitions.