EFL make official decision ahead of Liverpool vs Tottenham in Carabao Cup semi-final showdown

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Tottenham hold a slender 1-0 advantage ahead of the second leg at Anfield

The EFL have confirmed that Craig Pawson will be the referee for Tottenham Hotspur’s all-important semi-final second leg clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

Pawson has been a referee since 1993 and has regularly officiated in the Football League since the 2012/13 season. He made his Premier League debut in March 2023 and was listed as a FIFA international referee between 2015 and 2024 - giving him access to Champions League, Europa League and international matches.

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The Sheffield-born referee has taken charge of 329 matches over the course of his career and has handed out 1,222 yellow cards and 47 red cards, giving him an average of 3.71 yellows per game.

Pawson has overseen 30 Spurs matches over the course of his career, with the Lillywhites coming out on top on 15 occasions, drawing four and losing 11 times - with the most notable of those coming in a 2-0 EFL Cup final defeat to Chelsea back in 2015.

The 45-year-old has overseen two Spurs matches this term which include a 1-0 away defeat to Nottingham Forest in December and an impressive 4-1 home victory over Aston Villa in November.

Simon Bennett and Daniel Robathan will be the two assistant referees for the upcoming semi-final second leg clash at Anfield while Darren Bon will be the game’s fourth official. VAR duties are set to be carried out by Michael Sailsbury alongside assistant James Mainwaring.

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When is Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur?

Tottenham Hotspur make the challenging trip to Anfield to take on EFL Cup holders Liverpool on Thursday 6 February.

Ange Postecoglou’s side boast a slender one goal lead from their victory against the Reds in January courtesy of a late-winning goal from Lucas Bergvall in North London.

The former Celtic boss has claimed guiding Spurs to a trophy for the first time 2008 is one of his top objectives this term. In an earlier interview, he boldly stated that he ‘always’ delivers trophies in his second season at a club.

Tottenham’s upcoming opponents

Liverpool became the most successful team in EFL Cup history after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Chelsea secured them their 10th triumph in the competition last season.

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The Reds also beat Chelsea on penalties in the final back in 2022 and won the competition a decade earlier via the same method against Championship side Cardiff City under Kenny Dalglish.

Liverpool, who are top of the table with a staggering 56 points from 23 matches, have been the standout team both domestically and in Europe and are the only team in contention for an unprecedented quadruple. The ever-reliable Mohamed Salah is the team’s standout performer with 25 goals and 17 assists in 33 appearances across all competitions while the likes of Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil Van Dijk are also enjoying incredible seasons.

Arne Slot’s side knocked out three Premier League team on route to the semi-final after beating West Ham 5-1, Brighton 3-2 and Southampton 2-1. They do, however, find themselves a goal down heading into the second leg at Anfield.

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