Constantine Hatzidakis, who appeared to elbow Andy Robertson in the jaw in April 2023, has been handed his first Liverpool appearance since the controversial incident.
The official was suspended while his encounter with the Reds defender was investigated by chiefs.
However, he was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Football Association after television footage showed him apparently elbowing the player during half-time of a 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield.
Hatzidakis is said to have apologized to Robertson during a Zoom call, with the Scotland captain accepting his explanation for what happened, and the FA choosing to take no further action.
Manchester United's match against Aston Villa two weeks later marked Hatzidakis' return to the pitch for a Premier League match. He had recently officiated a Championship match between Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers.
In the 21 months that followed, the Englishman's encounters with Liverpool were limited to three games in the VAR chair, but he will now face Robertson again in his first Reds game on the pitch since the incident.
Arne Slot's men will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on January 8 and Hatzidakis will be in charge on the evening.
James Mainwaring will join the referee as assistant referee, while Stuart Attwell will referee the cup tie. Tim Robinson will be the fourth official.
Robertson claimed Hatzidakis elbowed him in the face after he approached the referee as he walked out during Liverpool's Premier League match against Arsenal earlier this month.
The clash was caught on camera – with Robertson and his teammates angrily protesting to the match referee about the incident. However, the FA conducted its own investigation and concluded that no further action was necessary.
“We have thoroughly reviewed all the evidence relating to the recent incident at Anfield involving the Liverpool defender and match official and we will take no further action,” an FA statement said.
'Our extensive process included reviewing detailed statements from Liverpool and PGMOL, as well as multiple angles of video footage, relating to both the incident and the surrounding circumstances.'
Meanwhile, Hatzidakis released a statement following his conversation with Robertson, expressing his excitement at the prospect of returning to action and insisting it was not his 'intention' to make contact with the player.
“I discussed the matter directly with Andy Robertson in an open and positive conversation,” his statement read.
'I did not intend to make any contact with Andy when I pulled my arm away from him and I have apologized for that.'
The return of Hatzidakis is unlikely to upset Slot, who has steadfastly led Liverpool to a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.
The Reds also find themselves at the top of the Champions League and in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, having lost just one match all season.
Slot arrived at Anfield in the summer and was not in the dugout due to the incident in April 2023. Jurgen Klopp was Reds boss that day but announced his departure nine months later.
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