Eagle-eyed Premier League fans may have spotted that no Saturday lunchtime kick-off will be on the agenda this weekend and that they’ll have to wait a few hours longer before witnessing their first bit of top flight action.
On a typical Saturday, supporters of the English top flight can sink their teeth into action from 12:30pm onwards – with games following the lunchtime kick-off at 3pm, 5:30pm and, on occasion, at 8pm when there is a congestion of fixtures.
However, as mentioned, that is not the case for the coming weekend amid alterations to the usual broadcasting schedule – but why has there been a change to usual proceedings across both Saturday and Sunday's respective schedules of Premier League match-ups?
This Saturday’s Premier League Action Delayed
Alterations to Sunday’s three games have also occured
As alluded to, fans will be forced to wait until 3pm to get their Premier League football fix with Everton vs West Ham United, Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest, Manchester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton vs Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Simply, the early kick-off slot has not been filled. As part of their exclusive package, TNT are the usual broadcasters to show the 12:30pm Premier League game, while they also show two rounds of midweek fixtures throughout a single campaign.
That said, as part of the aforementioned agreement, they also have to choose four blank weekends throughout the season, thus leaving a few of the 12:30pm empty from start to finish, per a report from talkSPORT.
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Why TNT have picked this weekend in particular to give this weekend a miss is because there are fewer fixtures to cover – Liverpool, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have all had their games rearranged.
In terms of the former two teams, Arne Slot’s Liverpool and Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, they have a Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon to attend to, hence why they are not partaking in Premier League action until the following weekend.
The Wembley meeting between the Reds and the Magpies has also had a knock-on effect on the Sunday fixtures. Arsenal’s all-London meeting with Enzo Maresca's Chelsea has been brought forward to 1:30pm – as has the clash between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.
Leicester City play host to a topsy-turvy Manchester United on Sunday – but Ruben Amorim’s trip to the King Power Stadium has been delayed until 7:30pm to allow the cup final to accommodate what should be a thriller in the capital. None of the three games will be played in the typical 2pm or 4:30pm slots.
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Slot will be looking to win the first piece of silverware of his maiden campaign after exiting the Champions League through a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, while Howe – after misery two years ago against the Red Devils – will be looking to reign victorious.