The Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool has been rescheduled to a midday kickoff due to concerns raised by the police regarding potential fan violence.
Pep Guardiola’s side has officially announced the change in kickoff time via their official Twitter handle. This decision comes in response to police concerns about past incidents of fan misconduct during this fixture.
The game is still set to take place on November 25, but the kickoff time has been shifted from 5:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. as a safety precaution.
This change aims to minimize the risk of issues occurring in the evening surrounding the match.
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The evening match between Arsenal and Brentford will proceed as planned, as the local safety advisory group has declined to grant permission for Man City to host their game late in the day.
🚨 𝗙𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 🚨
Our home @premierleague clash against Liverpool on Saturday 25 November will now kick-off at 12:30 (UK) ⏱️
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 13, 2023
Incidents of fan violence have been a recurring issue in recent matches between the two sides. In a recent incident, a 15-year-old girl suffered permanent scarring when she was struck by a container filled with coins, further raising concerns about the security arrangements for this fixture.
Only two months prior to this incident, Man City fans were accused of making offensive chants related to the Hillsborough disaster.
In return, City supporters alleged that Liverpool fans had thrown objects at their team’s bus before a Champions League match in Merseyside.
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In an attempt to reduce the risk of further incidents, local authorities have introduced additional safety measures that visiting supporters may not appreciate.
For Liverpool’s upcoming trip to Manchester, only 2,400 tickets have been made available to the visiting fans, representing a 20% reduction from their usual allocation. This reduction is aimed at promoting a more peaceful and secure event.
Unlike last season, the Reds are expected to remain in contention for the Premier League title until the end of the season.
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They have only suffered one loss in eight league games in the 2023-24 season and currently sit just one point behind defending champions Manchester City and three points off the leading duo, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
This suggests that the upcoming clash at the Etihad Stadium could be even more intense and closely contested.
