Liverpool made to play in Saturday early kick-off despite Premier League rule | OneFootball

Highlights

Much to Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool fans’ bemusement, their side have to endure another Saturday lunchtime kick-off after playing midweek in the evening, despite a Premier League rule. It was confirmed only last season that the number of Premier League fixture times on a Saturday would increase from three to four, with 12:30pm (GMT), 3pm, 5:30pm and 8pm all being possibilities.

As such, the agreement – made by Premier League higher-ups – suggested that clubs having to play a late midweek fixture on Wednesday would not be handed the 12:30pm on a Saturday due to the lack of time to rest, recuperate and prepare for their next encounter. Though, that seemingly isn’t the case for Liverpool after their 2-0 win against Sheffield United – but why?

The reason behind Liverpool’s 12:30pm kick-off

Liverpool will travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday

Given the demand for televised football in the UK, the schedule is often discussed ahead of time and, as such, broadcasters ideally don’t want to have to change their game. As a result, kick-off times are then moved to ensure amendments to TV schedules are kept to a minimum.

For example, Manchester United's away test against Newcastle last Saturday, which finished 1-0 in favour of the latter, was moved from the much-maligned 3pm kick-off to a later start at 8pm. But Liverpool, on this occasion, have not received the same stroke of luck and will still have to make the trip to Selhurst Park to take on Roy Hodgson’s side at 12:30pm on Saturday.

Despite partaking in a 2-0 win over Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United on Wednesday, the Reds' game against the Eagles will not be moved to a later time slot. The reason for that is because the deal to move fixtures to the late kick-off at 8pm only extends to teams who had played an away European fixture on the Wednesday before, as reported by The Telegraph, meaning that Liverpool’s clash against Sheffield United would’ve been swiftly discarded.

Jürgen Klopp fumes at question about 12:30pm kick-off

The German manager was not happy with Marcus Buckland's question after Liverpool beat Sheffield United

During the 2022/23 season, Liverpool's record in the early kick-off was less than admirable, with them failing to record a single victory. Klopp himself has made no secret of his disdain for the 12:30pm slot, with him recently stating ahead of his side's 1-1 draw against Manchester City that the schedule was made by, “people who cannot feel football”.

So it was very unsurprising to see him once again lose his temper when asked about the topic once again after Liverpool's 2-0 victory against Sheffield United. In vintage Klopp fashion, he snapped at Amazon Prime presenter Marcus Buckland, labelling him ‘completely ignorant’ after he jovially claimed that 12:30pm was the Liverpool boss’ favourite kick-off time.

Buckland, who could sense he had rubbed Klopp up the wrong way, began to apologise for what he said in jest, and claimed that it wasn’t his idea to come across as ‘disrespectful’ with his comments. But Klopp was having absolutely none of it.

It is not the first time the German has lost his temper with someone after being asked about the 12:30pm slot. The Athletic’s James Pearce was on the receiving end of a furious Klopp as he prodded him about his poor form during the early kick-offs during the 2022/23 season.