Liverpool discover referee for Ipswich Town trip as Reds chase first win of the season
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The Man in the Middle: Darren England’s Return Premier League officials have been confirmed for Matchweek 3, with Darren England handed the whistle for Liverpool’s clash against the Tractor Boys. The official has been a top-flight referee since 2020 and gained his FIFA badge two years later, but his name remains indelibly linked to the infamous “check complete” VAR error that wrongly disallowed Luis Díaz’s goal for offside against Tottenham Hotspur due to “significant human error.” England’s workload at the elite level this term has been measured, with his sole Premier League outing so far coming in Hull City’s opening-weekend 2-0 victory over Manchester United.
Among those dismissed was West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá during Liverpool’s 2-0 win at the London Stadium back in November. When looking strictly at the numbers, Liverpool’s history with England as the central referee makes for uncomfortable reading.
Recent encounters under his watch highlight a recurring tendency for matches to turn fractious: 25 May 2026: Liverpool 1-1 Brentford (5 yellows, including bookings for Ibrahima Konaté and Alexis Mac Allister) 3 May 2026: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool (4 yellows, with Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo cautioned) 21 March 2026: Brighton 2-1 Liverpool (10 yellows flashed, featuring Konaté, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, and Federico Chiesa) 30 November 2025: West Ham United 0-2 Liverpool (2 yellows, 1 red) 20 September 2025: Liverpool 2-1 Everton (5 yellows, cautions for Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz) 25 May 2025: Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace (2 yellows, 1 red for Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk booked) 1 February 2025: Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool (5 yellows, involving Gravenberch, Mac Allister, and Van Dijk) Testing Times Under the Friday Lights On paper, Iraola’s expensively assembled outfit should possess far too much quality for a newly-promoted Ipswich side still finding their feet in the top flight. Gary O’Neil’s men announced their Premier League return in dramatic fashion on opening weekend, edging past Sunderland thanks to Jack Clarke’s stoppage-time winner against his former club.