Why is Manchester United vs Everton kicking-off at an unusual time?
MANCHESTER UNITED host Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday – but fans must factor in the unusual kick-off time.
Ruben Amorim quickly learnt the level of competition in England, drawing 1-1 with Ipswich Town in his debut leaving his side in twelfth place.
The Red Devils then scraped a 3-2 win over Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, having fallen 2-1 down in the first half.
The Portuguese manager is desperate for a comfortable victory heading into their clash with the Toffees, and could face serious questioning if his side fail to deliver a strong performance.
On Merseyside, Sean Dyche is also struggling to get his side going and looks set to be in a relegation battle if things don’t improve.
Currently in 15th place, the Everton hierarchy are already looking at replacements with former boss David Moyes in the running.
A win on Sunday would be a great result for both teams, but fans should be aware of the schedule change.
Why is Manchester United vs Everton kicking off at a unique time?
Two fixtures are kicking off with rescheduled start times on Sunday as Liverpool vs Manchester City has also been moved.
This is not the first time different kick-off times have been put in place for Premier League fixtures with Liverpool and Man City fixtures also being moved in November 2023.
Police have requested the scheduling changes as a method of controlling fan movement and preventing confrontation.
With four big teams and huge rivals crossing paths on the same day, police want to avoid conflict and harm.
In 2022, the City team bus was damaged by fans as it left Anfield.
And, Liverpool fans were faced with chants concerning the club’s tragedies.
As a result, Manchester United vs Everton will kick-off at 1.30pm GMT on Sunday, December 1 – half an hour earlier than the usual 2pm kick off slot.