The Premier League officials for Newcastle United’s upcoming match against Arsenal at St James’ Park on Saturday have been confirmed, with kickoff set for 12:30 PM. Newcastle enters this crucial game hoping to break a disappointing streak of five matches without a win in the league. The referee for this encounter will be John Brooks, who will be supported by assistants Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan, while Darren Bond serves as the fourth official.
John Brooks’ most recent match officiating Newcastle was a narrow 3-2 loss to Chelsea back in March. Prior to that, he oversaw a more favorable outcome for the Magpies, officiating their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in January. However, his last appearance at St James’ Park was less memorable; he refereed a match against Liverpool in August 2023, which ended in a dramatic 2-1 defeat for Newcastle. In that game, Newcastle initially took the lead through Anthony Gordon, but Liverpool mounted a stunning comeback despite being reduced to ten men after Brooks sent off their captain, Virgil van Dijk, for a foul on Alexander Isak.
After the match, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp criticized Brooks’ decision, arguing that Van Dijk had not made “active contact” and was merely contesting the ball. Klopp expressed disbelief over the severity of the punishment Van Dijk received, which included a three-match ban for the red card. Following the incident, Van Dijk’s reaction to the officiating led to an additional one-match suspension and a fine of £100,000, as he acknowledged his improper behavior and the use of abusive language towards Brooks.
For the upcoming match against Arsenal, the video assistant referee (VAR) will be Jarred Gillett, with Darren Cann assisting him. As Newcastle looks to turn their fortunes around, all eyes will be on the officiating as well as the performance of both teams in what promises to be an exciting clash.