The clash between Arsenal and Liverpool is now set to be played on December 22nd, rather than Christmas Eve, according to reports.
According to the Mirror, the match will be moved to the 22nd after backlash from Arsenal and Liverpool fans. Both clubs opposed the move too, with Arsenal saying they’d struggle to staff the match, while Liverpool felt their fans might have trouble getting home – echoed by the Gunners.
Sky and BT are set to announce the fixtures officially at 3pm, but the rumours at this stage are that there may be no games shown on Christmas Eve after all.
Playing the match on the 22nd would mean a Friday late kick-off, which could still be problem for Liverpool supporters. Even if it is two days earlier than the original rumours, transport up and down the country on a Friday night isn’t exactly ideal.
The simple solution would have been to just show the match in one of the TV slots on Saturday 23rd, when both sets of fans would’ve had plenty of time to get to and from the game.
Moving to the Friday is also an issue for Arsenal, who may have to play in the Carabao Cup in midweek, followed by a match against Liverpool just a couple of days later.