Manchester United’s huge home game against Liverpool this weekend is set to kick off at an unusual time.
Premier League games on a Sunday are usually scheduled for 2pm and 4:30pm, but that’s different this weekend.
It’s only a slight change, with the game starting at 4pm rather than 4:30pm, but it will still have an impact on fans.
But why has this game in particular been moved?
Why is Man United vs Liverpool starting at 4pm?
As of yet, we have no official reason for the game being moved from 4:30pm on Sunday, September 1, to 4pm on the same day.
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The match is set to be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League, so the initial change is because it’s been picked for broadcast.
This normally means that game would start at 4:30pm; however, games between rivals can often be moved in conjunction with the police and local authorities.
We saw this last season with the FA Cup game between Man United and Liverpool, which started at 3:30pm on a Sunday rather than later.
Moving a game by an hour or so doesn’t feel like much, but research from police shows it does have a big impact on disorder and fan trouble.
Sometimes, when games were changed last season for these reasons, that was clarified in club statements.
However, this time, there have been no such statements from either club, leaving the actual reason for the change a mystery.
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But given what has happened to Man United vs Liverpool games in the past, it may be the case that the police and local authorities had something to do with the match starting earlier.
As a result, the early fixtures on Sunday involving Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Tottenham have also been moved.
Let’s hope any inconvenience is worth it, and we get an excellent game.
Man United vs Liverpool: Date and how to follow
This Premier League game will take place on Sunday, September 1.
Kick-off at Old Trafford is scheduled for 4pm.
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League.
Sky Go customers will be able to tune in via their laptops and mobile devices.
Alternatively, fans can tune in via NOW TV, with options starting from £14.99 for a one-day pass, £26 per month for a year and £34.99 for a rolling monthly contract.
talkSPORT will have updates throughout the afternoon, and talkSPORT.com will have updates on our live Premier League blog.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
