The 12.30pm kick-off has become something of a football tradition over the years.
Every weekend, fans descend on their nearest pub in droves, catching the first game of the day on TV before either settling down for the remaining fixtures, or heading to their local ground for a 3pm kick-off.
But this week, all of that has been torn up and thrown away by the Premier League, in the latest example of how the “game’s gone”.
Liverpool v Newcastle United was meant to be the 12.30pm kick-off.placeholder image
Liverpool v Newcastle United was meant to be the 12.30pm kick-off. | Getty Images
For gameweek 24, the first maches of the weekend are the 3pm kick-off games, as Brighton play Everton, Leeds play host to Arsenal, and Bournemouth travel to Wolves. So where is the typical 12.30pm kick-off?
The answer is both rather straightforward, and simultaneously infuriating.
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This week’s 12.30pm kick-off game was meant to be Liverpool v Newcastle United. Both teams played in the Champions League this week, with the Reds securing automatic qualification from the group stages, while the Magpies will play against Qarabag in the play-offs for a place in the last 16.
Because of their mid-week fixture, their match has been pushed back to an 8pm kick-off tonight (January 31), in order to give the players as much of a rest as possible.
Regardless of current injury woes, this is discounting the fact that both teams have amply-sized squads, talented academy prospects and managers who are more than capable of handing a busy schedule.
The Saturday 12.30pm fixture will return next weekend, when Manchester United play Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
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