Arsenal and Chelsea have been handed a psychological advantage in the Premier League title race as a result of wind warnings postponing Everton vs Liverpool, says Gary Neville.
With their respective English top-flight fixtures taking place on Sunday, Arsenal and Chelsea have watched on as the UK football calendar has been decimated by Storm Darragh. The only casualty in the Premier League so far is the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, with the 12.30pm kick-off called off hours before it was due to start.
"Hugely disappointing but the health and safety of people comes first. I feel sorry for the fans in the US who have woken up early to watch this game and the fans who have travelled to watch the Merseyside derby back in England," Neville reacted to the postponement, appearing on NBC Sports.
"That's life sometimes, we don't have the weather you do in Palm Springs in the north of England, unfortunately!"
Arriving into this weekend league leaders Liverpool had dropped points in a dramatic draw at Newcastle United. They lost 2-0 the last time they went to their cross-city rivals, so Neville first suggested they may feel relief to avoid this bout at this exact moment in time.
"They [Everton] had a good win in midweek, Liverpool obviously travelled up to Newcastle so they may have felt it was a good time to play them. It is what it is and they have to get over that," he continued.
"The last Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park would have been a very special day, so there will be disappointment all round because psychologically they've all prepared for this game, the players and the fans. Even Liverpool fans, they respect the fact it is a historic ground and playing there for the last time is a big occasion."
And in the grand scheme of the Premier League table, the midweek results had allowed Chelsea - beating Southampton - and Arsenal - beating Manchester United - to close the gap to the league leaders from nine points to seven.
As long as their Sunday matches - the Gunners playing Fulham and the Blues at Tottenham Hotspur - remain playable, Liverpool's rivals should be presented with the opportunity to make up some ground, albeit with the league leaders then possessing a game in hand.
"I think to get within four points psychologically, it's a big thing for those clubs," Neville assessed. "Last week they were looking at nine points [behind Liverpool] - 11 points for Man City. That does make a difference."
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