The reason Liverpool’s trip to West Ham in the Premier League will kick off at a bizarre time on Sunday afternoon has been revealed. The Reds will be hoping to get back to winning ways at the London Stadium after losing their last three matches across all competitions by a three-goal margin.
With six losses from their last seven league fixtures, and nine losses in their last 12 matches across all competitions, the champions are enduring their worst form since 1954, with pressure quickly mounting on manager Arne Slot. For the Hammers, however, they are enjoying a rare period of stability under Nuno Espirito Santo.
The East Londoners have not lost in their last three games, and after disappointing tenures from Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter, they finally seem to be playing with a clear identity under the former Nottingham Forest manager. That in itself should be a cause for concern for Liverpool ahead of the unusual 14:05 GMT kickoff.
Why West Ham vs Liverpool Has Unusual Kickoff Time
West Ham United's London Stadium.
The Premier League has allocated several unusual kick-off times for Sunday’s action, with Crystal Palace set to face Manchester United at 12:00. The Eagles were originally scheduled to play the Red Devils at 12:30 on Saturday, but European commitments created a tricky scheduling challenge.
Oliver Glasner’s team will travel to face Strasbourg in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, with that match kicking off at 20:00 UK time. Next week, Palace play Burnley on Wednesday, meaning Sunday afternoon was the only feasible slot for the Premier League to schedule the game while ensuring at least 60 hours between each match.
Sunday's Premier League fixtures Kick-off time
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United 12:00
Aston Villa vs Wolves 14:05
Nottingham Forest vs Brighton 14:05
West Ham vs Liverpool 14:05
Chelsea vs Arsenal 16:30
The change has also affected the three 14:00 Sunday kick-offs, including West Ham’s clash with Liverpool. To avoid any potential overlap between the games, the Premier League has pushed all three matches back by five minutes, with Aston Villa vs Wolves and Nottingham Forest vs Brighton also impacted.
Trip To West Ham Might Have Huge Implications For Arne Slot
Liverpool manager Arne Slot during their match against Real Madrid.
West Ham currently sit 17th in the Premier League, level on points with Leeds United in the relegation zone. So, naturally, Sunday’s match is as big as any for the Irons, but there still seems to be more pressure on Liverpool than the hosts, with anything less than a win potentially spelling the end of Slot’s reign at Anfield, with stunning rumours of Jurgen Klopp's return aflutter.
The Reds’ hierarchy have proven they are not ones to hit the panic button and give a manager their marching orders, as shown by the fact they’ve never sacked a league-winning coach in their history. They also have the fewest managers in Premier League history, with just 21 managerial appointments since the club’s formation in 1892.
But after spending £449 million on new signings over the summer, there comes a point when change is inevitable if results don’t improve. They head into this weekend’s clash as favourites, and they must prove it - otherwise Slot might be next in line to bite the dust after their opponents have found change can be a good thing themselves already this term.