Craig Pawson will referee this year's FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea

Craig Pawson will referee the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley on May 14.

The 43-year-old has already been informed and the Football Association are expected to make an announcement later on Thursday, according to The Telegraph.

Pawson will lead to the two sides out as Liverpool and Chelsea clash in a Wembley final for the second time this season.

The Sheffield native is one of ten Fifa-ranked referees in the select group one list in the Premier League, which makes him the most senior official to have never refereed an FA Cup final.

Despite Howard Webb and Mark Clattenburg going on to officiate Champions League, European Championship and World Cup finals, the FA Cup final is considered to be the highlight of an English referee's career.

Only two officials have ever refereed the final twice. With Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor's second coming during the two years the country was in lockdown as it was deemed unfair for a referee's only final to be played in front of an empty crowd in 2020 or limited capacity last year.

Pawson and his assistants will attend the traditional black tie gala 'Eve of final rally' the night before the game which will be held at the Kennington Oval.

Pawson officiated Liverpool's quarter-final clash with Nottingham Forest this season which saw Reds defender Joe Gomez receive the sole yellow card of the game.

He also refereed Jurgen Klopp's side in the Premier League twice this term in their away games against Leeds and West Ham.

Meanwhile, Pawson was in charge when Chelsea travelled to the Etihad in the league in January, which saw the only two bookings of the game go to the Blues.

The west Londoners suffered Carabao Cup heartache at the hands of Liverpool after their tense final in February was decided by a 22-penalty shootout, refereed by Stuart Attwell.

Their second Wembley crunch is crucial for both sides' campaigns as Klopp's side will look to add another trophy to their cabinet as they continue their historic quadruple-chasing quest, while the FA Cup is Thomas Tuchel's last chance of silverware this season.