Liverpool’s high-profile clash with Arsenal will be trusted to an official who has not reffed a Premier League game between ‘big six’ clubs in two-and-a-half years.

Andy Madley will be referee for Sunday’s meeting at Anfield, with Nick Hopton and Tim Wood his assistants and Tom Bramall as fourth official.

VAR is Stuart Attwell with his assistant being James Bell.

It is the second Liverpool game Madley has been in charge of this season – having also blown the whistle for the Carabao Cup third-round win over Tottenham.

But it will be the first game between ‘big six’ clubs in the Premier League since he was appointed for the Manchester derby in March 2024.

That game ended in a 3-1 win for Man City, while Madley also refereed the FA Cup final between the two clubs two months later, which Man United won 2-1.

Since then, the 43-year-old has largely overseen lower-profile fixtures, including Liverpool’s clashes with Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and Crystal Palace, but never between the league’s traditional heavyweights.

His appointment comes with Pro Ref managing their roster of officials ahead of another Champions League midweek, which is expected to involve Michael Oliver.

Liverpool’s record when Madley has been referee reads 15 wins, six draws and three losses from 24 games, and he has never sent off a Reds player.

The Yorkshireman has in fact only refereed four other clubs more often: Aston Villa, Brighton, Brentford and Wolves.

Conversely, Madley has been referee for just six Arsenal games in his career.

Arsenal will arrive at Anfield for a 4.30pm kickoff on Sunday with the two sides seeing mixed fortunes in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Mikel Arteta’s side were knocked out of the fourth round by League Two club Fleetwood Town, while Liverpool beat Chelsea with a 6-5 penalty shootout win.

The Gunners are currently second in the league, level on points with leaders Man City, with the Reds sitting six points behind them in fourth.