Liam Duckstein
Peter Bankes has been assigned to oversee the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley. The Premier League official maintains a strict professional barrier regarding specific clubs, preventing him from officiating any match involving Liverpool or Everton.
This policy remains in effect because Bankes is registered with the Liverpool Football Association. Refereeing regulations dictate that officials cannot oversee games involving clubs from their local FA or teams they personally support to avoid potential conflicts of interest. This rule applies regardless of whether the referee has an active allegiance to the club in question.
Bankes has never officiated a competitive fixture for either Liverpool or Everton. His professional record includes 14 matches involving Arsenal, where the Gunners secured 10 victories. He has also overseen 12 games featuring Manchester City, with the Sky Blues recording six wins.
Premier League referees are obliged to declare which sides they support, enabling the league to guarantee they don’t oversee that side or any fixtures, which can directly impact that side.
For the final at Wembley, Bankes will be supported by assistant referees Neil Davies and Steve Meredith, with Marc Perry serving as the reserve. Tom Bramall is assigned as the fourth official. The VAR booth will be managed by John Brooks, assisted by Dan Robathan.
Regarding domestic cup performance this season, Liverpool were eliminated in the fourth round by Crystal Palace. Everton exited the competition in the third round following a defeat to Wolves. Bankes continues his duties as part of the elite Premier League group. Follow TipsGG for comprehensive coverage of elite officiating and major tournament updates.