Confirmed Match Officials: Leyton Orient vs Manchester City (FA Cup fourth round) | OneFootball

The Football Association have confirmed the team of match officials to oversee proceedings between Leyton Orient and Manchester City this weekend.

The Premier League champions are due to travel to Brisbane Road on Saturday lunchtime, hoping to further strengthen their chances of bringing domestic silverware to the Etihad Stadium in a difficult campaign for the club.

Pep Guardiola and his players find themselves out of the Premier League title race and in a challenging position in the UEFA Champions League, facing Real Madrid in a two-legged last-16 play-off tie across the next two weeks.

The trip to face Leyton Orient will also be Manchester City’s first chance at redemption following a crushing defeat at the hands of top-flight rivals Arsenal last weekend, after Mikel Arteta’s side issued a 5-1 win over the Sky Blues at the Emirates Stadium.

And while the FA Cup brings about its own natural excitement, the possibility of senior debuts for the likes of Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez bring about an added lure for Manchester City supporters following the conclusion of the January market.

Ahead of the meeting between Leyton Orient and Manchester City, the Football Association have now announced the list of match officials to oversee proceedings at the Gaughan Group Stadium!

Match Referee

The Football Association have announced this week that experienced match official Darren Bond will oversee proceedings at Brisbane Road from the role of match referee for Leyton Orient against Manchester City.

The Lancashire-developed referee will be taking charge of his 17th match across all competitions so far this season, having issued a total of 69 yellow cards to date, three straight red cards, and having awarded four penalties in the process.

Bond has only ever officiated Manchester City on one previous occasion in his professional refereeing career, taking charge of the club’s narrow 2-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League earlier this season.

That afternoon saw Erling Haaland score twice in the first-half to come back from a Yoane Wissa opener, in a three points for Manchester City that also saw Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, and Savinho receive yellow cards from Bond.

Assistant Referees

Accompanying referee Darren Bond on the pitch at the Gaughan Group Stadium on Saturday lunchtime will be an assistant referee pairing of Scott Ledger and Sian Massey-Ellis, the Football Association have confirmed.

Fourth Official

Ensuring that matters are kept in check between Leyton Orient’s Richie Wellens and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City dugouts will be the appointed fourth official for the contest, Dean Whitestone.