Merseyside police are to submit a legal challenge to change the time of Saturday’s derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park.
The game is scheduled to start at 5.30pm, the derby match’s latest kick-off time on a Saturday for 15 years, and police are concerned the timing increases the risk of disorder at the stadium and in pubs showing the match. The game is being shown live on Sky Sports and the late kick-off was agreed following consultations between the broadcaster and the Premier League.
Liverpool’s mayor, Joe Anderson, has asked the Premier League to bring forward the kick-off time but his request was rejected. The police, who have classified the game as having a high risk of disorder, also asked Liverpool council’s licensing committee to amend the terms of the ground safety certificate so the match would start at lunchtime. That request was turned down last week and police will appeal the decision at a magistrates’ court on Tuesday, five days before the derby.
Merseyside police claims its resources will be stretched at the stadium and in the city centre by the late kick-off and the derby should kick off no later than 2pm. There will be double the usual number of police units at the match and Everton will have 430 club stewards along with 50 agency stewards working at the game.
If successful, the police appeal will cause major disruption to Sky’s broadcasting schedule. The derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal has Saturday’s 12.45pm slot on BT Sport.
