Chris Kavanagh has been named as the man in the middle for Saturday’s 3pm clash between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park.
Kavanagh has been at the centre of controversy this season, during which he’s been blamed by Bruno Fernandes for his penalty miss against Fulham, missed a blatant red in Newcastle’s clash against Wolves, and awarded Leeds a debatable last-minute penalty against Everton.
Kavanagh has dished out 32 yellow cards and four penalties across nine matches in all competitions this season and was the referee who officiated the 2025 Community Shield duel between FA Cup winners Palace and Premier League champions Liverpool. The Eagles edged it on penalties following an entertaining 2-2 draw, which saw three Reds players booked and a penalty awarded against them.
Liverpool head to London on the back of seven straight wins since that Wembley defeat, five of which have been league victories, which already puts them five points clear at the top of the table.
However, they face a tough test away to a Crystal Palace side enjoying a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, which includes a return of nine points in 2025/26, putting them 5th in the table. If Palace avoid defeat on Saturday, they will equal an 18-game unbeaten club record.
Read: Crystal Palace vs Liverpool: predictions, stats, tips & odds
Chris Kavanagh Crystal Palace Record
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches | 11 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Defeats | 2 |
| League Points | 15 |
| Penalties Per Game | 0.09 |
| Yellow Cards Per Game | 1.45 |
| Reds Per Game | 0 |
Chris Kavanagh has proven something of a lucky charm for Crystal Palace in recent times. The Eagles are currently on a three-game winning run with Kavanagh as the man in black, including their Community Shield triumph over Liverpool last month, a 2-0 victory at Tottenham in May, and a memorable 1-0 win at Anfield in April 2024.
Palace are unbeaten in their last six matches officiated by Kavanagh and have lost just once in the last 10 games he’s overseen.
Discipline-wise, Kavanagh has been relatively lenient with Palace who have never had a player sent off under his watch and have only picked up more than one yellow card in four of the 11 matches he’s officiated.
Chris Kavanagh Liverpool Record
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches | 25 |
| Wins | 17 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Defeats | 5 |
| League Points | 51 |
| Penalties Per Game | 0.12 |
| Yellow Cards Per Game | 1.44 |
| Reds Per Game | 0 |
Liverpool won’t have the fondest recent memories of Chris Kavanagh, who took charge of their last match without a win in August’s Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace. In that game, Ibrahima Konate, Florian Wirtz, and even Mo Salah were all shown yellow cards, while Virgil van Dijk conceded a first-half penalty after he fouled Ismaila Sarr. However, Alexis Mac Allister escaped a potential penalty call for a handball in what was a frustrating afternoon for the Reds.
Kavanagh has officiated 25 Liverpool matches – second only to the 32 games he’s overseen for Newcastle – and worryingly for the Reds, they have failed to win three of their last four outings under Kavanagh.
That said, Liverpool’s overall record with Kavanagh in the middle remains very strong with 17 wins from 25 matches, including an important 1-0 victory over Arsenal earlier this season. Under Kavanagh’s watch, Liverpool have averaged 1.44 yellow cards per game, been awarded three penalties, and are yet to receive a red card.
Summary
Kavanagh will be aiming to keep a firm grip on Saturday’s clash between two in-form sides, who will both be eager to extend their unbeaten starts to the season.
The referee has already been at the centre of several controversial flashpoints this campaign and certainly hasn’t hesitated to reach for his notebook with a hefty 32 yellow cards in nine matches, averaging 3.56 per game.
A penalty could be on the cards at Selhurst Park, with Kavanagh awarding four spot-kicks so far this season, including one to Palace in the Community Shield. Notably, two of his last five games involving Liverpool have also featured penalties.