Confirmed Match Officials: Manchester City vs Plymouth Argyle (FA Cup Fifth Round) | OneFootball

The Football Association have confirmed the list of match officials to oversee proceedings between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle on Saturday evening.

The Premier League champions come into the weekend’s clash fresh off the back of a confidence-boosting and crucial victory over Tottenham in North London on Wednesday night, keeping them in the driving seat for a top-four finish this campaign.

A single first-half goal from Erling Haaland to convert some excellent play by Jeremy Doku down the left of Manchester City’s attacking trio proved the difference on a night when Pep Guardiola’s side looked more resolute than they perhaps have been throughout the season.

While the season as a whole has certainly had more disappointments than positives, the FA Cup has rapidly emerged as a prime opportunity for silverware to come to the Etihad Stadium at the end of the campaign after some high-profile exits from the competition.

Premier League rivals Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea are all out of the tournament, leaving Manchester City as the favourites despite the presence of Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest in the next round.

Ahead of the meeting between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round of the FA Cup, the Football Association have now announced the list of match officials to oversee proceedings at the Etihad Stadium!

Match Referee

The Football Association have confirmed that the highly-experienced Craig Pawson will take the lead as on-field match referee for Manchester City’s cup clash with Championship side Plymouth Argyle this weekend.

The 45-year-old match official will be operating on his 24th game across competitions this season, but his very first in the FA Cup despite appearances in the Premier League, Championship, EFL Cup, and even UEFA Champions League qualifying.

This will also be the first time that Manchester City have seen one of their matches officiated by Craig Pawson, having not come across the official since matchday 36 of last season’s Premier League and a 5-1 home win over Wolves at the Etihad Stadium.

In fact, Pawson’s last two games involving Manchester City have seen Pep Guardiola’s side score a remarkable 11 goals conceding just two to Wolves and AFC Bournemouth in Premier League competition.

On the whole, Manchester City have won 18 of their 27 matches officiated by Craig Pawson, drawing four matches and losing five in the process, with 43 yellow cards handed out, nine penalties awarded, but no red cards seen.

Assistant Referees

Accompaning Craig Pawson on the Etihad Stadium pitch this weekend will be an assistant referee pairing of Scott Ledger and Craig Taylor, the Football Association have confirmed.

Video Assistant Referees

The use of VAR will return at the fifth round stage of the FA Cup in line with new rules brought in for the campaign to ensure more consistency across fixtures in the opening third and fourth round of the competition.

As such, the Football Association have confirmed that Neil Davies will take the role of Video Assistant Referee, with Constantine Hatzidakis as the Assistant Video Assistant Referee, and Peter Bankes appointed as the Support Video Assistant Referee.

Semi-automated offsides will also be in use at Premier League stadiums including Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup fifth round, while in-stadium VAR announcements will also be provided by match officials in relation to reviewed incidents.

Fourth Official

As for the fourth official for this weekend’s FA Cup fifth round encounter, the Football Association have confirmed that Darren Bond will stand between Pep Guardiola and Miron Muslic’s dugouts.