Manchester City’s FA Cup clash with Salford City impacted by major referee rule change for 2024/25 season | OneFootball

The Football Association have this week confirmed a major change to their rules around officiating in the FA Cup, coming into effect from January 2025.

Pep Guardiola and his players will welcome back domestic cup competitions to their fixture agenda in the New Year having already crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the fourth round stage earlier in the season.

Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the first of their 11-game run of matches across competitions that has brought about so much hardship for the club on the pitch.

The reigning Premier League champions have won just one game across that 11-match run in all competitions, falling down to 5th position in the English top-flight and 22nd in the UEFA Champions League table.

As such, the return of the FA Cup may bring about a welcome mental reset for the club and a chance to focus their attentions on a new prize, with League Two side Salford City the visitors to the Etihad Stadium in the third round of the competition.

But the new edition of the FA Cup for Manchester City will also be joined by some changes confirmed by decision makers around the competition when it comes to how matches are officiated in the opening rounds involving Premier League sides.

As confirmed by the Football Association this week, Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will only be used in the 2024/25 FA Cup from the fifth round onwards, and as such will not be in operation for the third and fourth rounds starting in January.

Previously VAR has only been used in the FA Cup for matches at Wembley Stadium and at Premier League grounds due to infrastructure, workforce and costs required for its operation.

However, the FA have now stated this week that their decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.

January will also bring two mammoth clashes for Manchester City in European competition, with points desperately needed from an away trip against Paris Saint-Germain and a home meeting with Club Brugge in order to secure a last-16 play-off place.

Those cup duties are accompanied by the relentless Premier League fixture list, with Manchester City’s December run of matches rounding off with away matches against Aston Villa and Leicester City as well as an Etihad Stadium bout with Everton on Boxing Day.