John Brooks appointed as referee for Carabao Cup final

John Brooks will be assisted by Eddie Smart and Nick Greenhalgh, while Darren England has been designated as the fourth official. Stuart Attwell and Sian Massey-Ellis will oversee VAR duties for the showdown.

The referee is familiar with clashes between these two sides, having previously officiated Liverpool's dramatic 2-1 win over Newcastle at St James' Park in August 2023. During that match, he made a major decision by sending off Virgil van Dijk for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity after a foul on Alexander Isak.

Van Dijk's dismissal led to a one-match suspension, but his subsequent reaction towards the officials resulted in an additional ban and a £100,000 fine. Brooks' history with this fixture adds further intrigue to Sunday's showdown as both teams look to get the better of each other under the Wembley spotlight.

So far this season, Brooks has taken charge of 12 Premier League matches, handing out 67 yellow cards but has yet to show a red. With Liverpool determined to add another trophy to their collection and Newcastle striving for their first major triumph in years, the referee's decisions could prove pivotal in what is set to be a thrilling and hard-fought final.