Why Are Liverpool Playing At 2:05 P.m. On Sunday?

4 jam yang lalu

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has been a complete and utter disaster, pinch things perchance getting worse connected Sunday.

The Reds, who person mislaid six of their erstwhile 7 matches successful nan competition, sojourn a resurgent West Ham United broadside arsenic they purpose to exit nan bottommost half of the Premier League table. The Irons are connected a three-game unbeaten streak which has included confidence-boosting wins complete Newcastle United and Burnley connected location soil.

Liverpool will beryllium fearing nan worst having mislaid each 3 of their trips to nan superior this play and will person to contend pinch 1 of their slightest favourite clip slots—the conflict pinch West Ham kicking disconnected astatine 2:05 p.m. GMT alternatively than nan much acquainted 2:00 p.m Sunday slot.

But why are nan Reds playing astatine specified an different kick-off time?

Arne Slot has ne'er coached nan Reds successful nan 2:05 p.m. kick-off slot. / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Liverpool’s somewhat delayed kick-off clip really boils down to nan fixture betwixt Manchester United and Crystal Palace during Gameweek 13. Originally selected by TNT Sports arsenic their televised 12:30 p.m. kick-off connected Saturday, nan lucifer was forced to beryllium rescheduled to Sunday astatine 12:00 p.m. owed to Palace’s Conference League commitments.

To let a small other clip betwixt fixtures and guarantee location is nary crossover, each of Sunday’s 2:00 p.m. kick-offs person been moved backmost 5 minutes to 2:05 p.m. The alteration impacts West Ham vs. Liverpool, Nottingham Forest vs. Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers. The day’s precocious 4:30 p.m. fixture betwixt Chelsea and Arsenal is unaffected.

For nan superstitious wrong nan Liverpool fanbase, Sunday’s move is bad news. The Reds person played successful nan 2:05 p.m. slot connected conscionable 5 occasions successful nan Premier League, losing 3 of those fixtures and averaging conscionable 0.8 points-per-game.

Fortunately for Liverpool, they person a beardown caller grounds against West Ham. Arne Slot won each 3 duels pinch nan Londoners past season—including five-goal victories successful nan convention and Carabao Cup— and nan Reds person mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 20 matches against their play hosts.