Arsenal’s Champions League results will have an impact on Leicester City’s fixture schedule after the latest TV picks were announced.
Two of City’s matches in February have been selected to be shown live on UK television. Their home clash with the Gunners is provisionally a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday, February 15, with the TNT Sports cameras present. And their meeting with Brentford at the King Power Stadium will now be at 8pm on Friday, February 21, live on Sky Sports.
However, the match against Arsenal is subject to change. If Mikel Arteta’s side end up in the Champions League’s knockout phase play-offs, and play away on Wednesday, February 12, then the City game will instead be an 8pm kick-off.
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The kick-off time may not be confirmed until two weeks before the City fixture. Arsenal are currently seventh in the Champions League table and so would automatically qualify for the knockout stages and avoid the play-off round. However, they are only in there on goal difference and with three rounds still to play, it could go down to the wire.
The final round of group matches is not played until Wednesday, January 29, with the draw to come later that week, when it would be determined who and where Arsenal are playing. Provisionally, the seeded teams for the knockout phase play-offs, those finishing between ninth and 16th, will play the first leg away and the second leg at home. So if Arsenal finish between 17th and 24th, the 12.30pm kick-off should remain, as the Gunners will be playing at the Emirates earlier that week.
City’s first game of February, their final trip to Everton’s Goodison Park before they move stadiums next season, is confirmed as a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, February 1. The date and time for City’s trip to West Ham, provisionally a 7.45pm start on Tuesday, February 25, will not be confirmed until mid-January, after the FA Cup fourth round is complete.