Referee Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Nick Greenhalgh have not been selected for a Premier League game this weekend. The pair were heavily criticised for their decisions in the fourth round FA Cup tie between Aston Villa and Newcastle United on Saturday, in which there was no video assistant referee. Referees' body Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) bases its selections on factors including post-match performance assessments conducted by an independent Key Match Incidents panel, ensuring accountability for officials. Among the errors, Kavanagh and Greenhalgh missed a clear offside against Tammy Abraham for Villa's opening goal. The other assistant at Villa Park, Gary Beswick, has been appointed to Nottingham Forest versus Liverpool on Sunday.

Source: BBC February 16, 2026 18:07 UTC