VIDEO assistant referees will be trialled from the third round of this season’s FA Cup, the Football Association has announced.

The technology will be used for the first time in competitive action in England, forming part of the International Football Association Board’s global development of the VAR system.

Brighton’s third-round clash with Crystal Palace on Monday January 8 has been selected for the trial, with the technology employed in selected fixtures throughout the rest of the competition.

Video assistants were used for England’s international friendlies against Germany and Brazil in November, without being executed in play.

The trials will also include January’s League Cup semi-finals and are led by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited referees’ body.

The FA said the technology will only be employed to counteract “clear and obvious errors” on specific incidents in three situations — goals, penalty decisions and straight red cards or mistaken identity for red or yellow cards.

The VAR will automatically check every relevant incident and will inform the referee of any clear and obvious error.

The referee then has the power to change the original decision, based on the new information provided by the VAR, or watch a replay on the side of the pitch.