History to be made
VAR has not been in use for any Carabao Cup matches this season.
However, it will feature in this week's semi-finals - and for the first time in the English domestic game, in-stadium VAR announcements will be trialled.
This means the crowd inside the stadium and fans watching at home on the TV will be able to hear referees announce final decisions after they have been advised to go to the pitchside monitor.
That said, it will not be the case for decisions made not using the monitor.
A referee announcing decisions to the crowd in the stadium isn't totally new to the world of football, as it was trialled at the Women's World Cup in 2023.
But it hasn't been in operation during an English football match until this week.
A statement from the PGMOL, the referees’ body, said: "Referees will announce the final decision following a visit to the VAR pitchside monitor or upon the conclusion of factual matters, such as accidental handball by a goalscorer or offside offences where the attacker touches the ball."
The referee that will take charge of this historic night is Craig Pawson - SunSport has the lowdown on the referee.
