The Premier League has confirmed that Anthony Taylor will be the man in the middle for the high-stakes London Derby between Chelsea and West Ham United on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
The appointment has already ignited social media, as Taylor’s history with Chelsea remains one of the most polarizing subplots in English football.
For Liam Rosenior’s side, the focus will be on maintaining their top-four momentum, but for the fans, the focus is firmly on the referee.
The Official Match Appointments
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistants: Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn
Fourth Official: Rob Jones
VAR: Michael Salisbury
Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis
A Rivalry Renewed: Taylor vs. The Blues
No referee draws a stronger reaction from the Stamford Bridge faithful than the Wythenshawe-born official. Despite Chelsea winning their last five games under his whistle (including a 2-1 victory over Liverpool earlier this season), the "agenda" narrative persists.
The Booking Stat: Taylor has booked more Chelsea players (over 130 yellow cards) than any other club in his 16-year Premier League career.
Recent Friction: Just last month, Taylor was heavily criticized for his handling of the Chelsea-Arsenal clash, where he upgraded a yellow card for Moises Caicedo to a straight red following a VAR review.
The "Petition" History: Chelsea fans famously launched a petition years ago—which garnered over 80,000 signatures—to prevent Taylor from officiating their games following a controversial 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
The "Rosenior" Perspective
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has been vocal about his desire for his young squad to ignore "external noise." Following the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, Rosenior emphasized that tactical discipline, rather than officiating decisions, will decide the race for the Champions League.
Liam Rosenior (Pre-match): "We know Anthony is an experienced official. Our job is to play so well that the refereeing decisions don't matter. We focus on the football, not the man with the whistle."
The Verdict: While the appointment will dominate the pre-match headlines, Chelsea enter the derby as heavy favorites. With Estêvão and João Pedro in red-hot form, the Blues will hope to let their football do the talking and keep the cards in Taylor's pocket.