The Premier League has rejected a request to reschedule the forthcoming Merseyside Derby. Both Liverpool and Everton had been inclined to find a new date for the match, currently slated for next Wednesday.
Everton is set to make the short trip to Anfield on April 2, before hosting Arsenal in a lunchtime kick-off less than 72 hours later. The two Merseyside outfits had considered moving their own fixture forward, which — if approved — would have provided David Moyes’ team with additional recovery time ahead of their weekend game.
As per the Daily Mail, both Everton and Liverpool saw benefits in shifting their clash to April 1 — perhaps both with an eye on that Arsenal game, given that the Reds are in a title race with the Gunners. However, it’s understood that the Premier League declined this proposal.
It remains uncertain when this request was submitted. The Premier League unveiled the April fixtures selected for UK TV on February 28, featuring the Merseyside Derby on Sky Sports and Everton vs Arsenal on TNT Sports — and has seen no need to change the arrangements, with the Toffees afforded more than the minimum 60 hours’ gap between fixtures.
For its part, Liverpool has a reasonable turnaround after the Everton game, not facing Fulham until the following Sunday. But extra recovery time is always welcome, especially with the Reds having flagged a little lately.
Liverpool approaches the upcoming series of games with a 12-point advantage at the summit and only nine matches left. Despite leading the pack, it entered the international break on the back of consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Following its European exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool then lost 2-1 to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final. “It’s part of football if you face strong teams that you can lose as well,” conceded Reds boss Arne Slot after the Wembley setback.
“Ideally you go through the whole season only winning, winning, winning. But it can happen that after eight months of football you lose twice in a row if you face Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle.”
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal managed to halt a three-match winless streak in the league just before the international break. A solitary goal from Mikel Merino was enough to secure victory over Chelsea, and it now looks forward to two more London derbies at home, sandwiching the clash with Everton, as Fulham and Brentford both visit the Emirates.
There’s potential good news on the horizon for Gunners fans too, as star man Bukayo Saka could be fit in time for these fixtures. Manager Mikel Arteta is optimistic that the forward may be ready to return following his recovery from hamstring surgery.
Saka has been sidelined since December. He had to be substituted just 24 minutes into a match against Crystal Palace due to injury.
“We play a top opponent and the team played with an unbelievable spirit and now we go to the international break,” Arteta shared with Sky Sports after the Chelsea triumph. “The only thing we can do is try to win our matches — if we do, we are in a better position.”
However, even if Arsenal manages to win all its remaining nine games, it will still need Liverpool to falter. The Reds have only lost 17 points in their first 29 league games, and were on a three-match league winning streak heading into the international break, despite their cup disappointments.
