Liverpool’s trip to Everton has been postponed due to the adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Darragh, so when could it be rescheduled?
The final league trip to Goodison Park will take place later in the season after a decision was reached to postpone the fixture due to high-speed winds.
The Met Office had warned of wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, and safety concerns have seen the 12.30pm kickoff cancelled in favour of finding a new date in the future.
There are plenty of considerations for when the derby could be rescheduled, with fixture lists and broadcast rules to come into the decision-making.
It will almost certainly be played on a midweek evening, which is perhaps not ideal for Liverpool as they will have favoured the lunchtime atmosphere.
There are a number of dates early in 2025 which could fit the bill, but it will depend heavily on whether Arne Slot‘s side progress to the League Cup semi-finals and in the Champions League.
Possible free midweeks:
The first free midweek for both Liverpool and Everton is on January 1, with both playing in the league on December 29 and January 4.
This would create zero broadcast issues for TNT Sports and ensure neither team plays with less than 60 hours between games (a Premier League directive).
If not then, the next available midweeks would only be if Slot’s side do not beat Southampton and progress to the League Cup semi-final, which is played over two midweeks.
The two-legged tie is played on January 7/8 and February 4/5.
Beyond that, Liverpool would need to bypass the Champions League playoff round to leave themselves with two free slots on February 11/12 and February 18/19, but that has its own complications.
TNT Sports holds the broadcast rights for the Merseyside derby, and they exclusively show the Champions League. Typically, UEFA must also grant approval for league games to be played at the same time.
It is a problem to emerge from the modern era that broadcasting plays such a significant role in the scheduling of games, and it will be a huge consideration for this derby.
If you are perhaps eyeing a free FA Cup weekend, should neither Everton nor Liverpool progress, new rules stipulate that the fourth and fifth rounds, plus the quarter-finals are exclusive of Premier League games.
Special dispensation from the FA would be needed if they were to play on one of these weekends.
Beyond the abovementioned options, the league would then need to look a lot further in the calendar and potentially even beyond the Anfield Merseyside derby on April 2.
The postponement on Saturday does have its benefits as it affords Slot’s side extra rest and the chance to get players back, but it does complicate matters a lot further down the line.
