Referee Andy Madley will officiate his first “Big Six” Premier League clash in two and a half years when Arsenal travels to Anfield this Sunday.

At 43, Madley hails from Yorkshire and is currently in his eighth season among the Premier League’s officiating ranks.

While he has previously officiated five games featuring the Premier League’s major clubs, his last encounter was during Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United in March 2024.

Since then, Madley has also refereed the 2024 FA Cup Final held between the two Manchester clubs, though ProRef chief Howard Webb’s decision to appoint him is somewhat unexpected.

Michael Oliver, often regarded as the Premier League’s top referee and who officiated last week’s match between PSG and Barcelona, will instead referee Tottenham’s home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

This assignment suggests he may be preparing for Champions League duties on Tuesday.

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Sunday’s match will mark only the sixth time Madley has officiated an Arsenal match in the Premier League.

The Gunners have achieved two victories and suffered one defeat in the previous five encounters, with the last being a 2-0 home win against Everton in March.

In contrast, Madley has refereed 17 Liverpool matches, during which the Anfield side has secured nine wins, including a memorable 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in 2023, and lost three times.

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The other significant match this weekend, Chelsea’s home fixture against struggling Manchester United, will be overseen by Peter Bankes, who was impressive during Aston Villa’s victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

The clash between Liverpool and Arsenal comes at a critical juncture in the season, as the Gunners aim to maintain their position at the top of the table, only a few points ahead of Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Liverpool is just six points behind Arsenal as they prepare for this key matchup.

Andoni Iraola’s side boasts a strong home record against Arsenal, having not lost to the north London team since September 2012.

The game also holds significant implications for Chelsea and United, both of whom faced disappointing defeats in their last outings.

Chelsea fell 2-0 at home to rivals Tottenham, while United suffered a 3-0 defeat at home against Bournemouth.

This dire result has left Michael Carrick without a win in his last eight games, raising questions about his future in the role amid speculation regarding potential replacements like Eddie Howe or Antonio Conte.