Manchester City will kick off at Liverpool next month earlier than expected in an attempt to avoid scenes that have blighted recent meetings between the two.
City and Liverpool has been the major rivalry on the pitch during the time Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been in England, with the Blues streaking away with more silverware but involved in some titanic tussles in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup. However, there has also been damage to buses, missiles thrown that have injured children, and unacceptable disaster chanting that have marred games.
The match on March 10 was initially slated to be at 4.30pm after being picked by Sky Sports to be their main game of the day. The teams are currently separated by just two points in the table and it is anticipated that the fixture at Anfield could be critical in deciding which title contenders get their hands on the trophy in May.
It will now kick off at the unusual time of 3.45pm at the request of Merseyside Police and the safety advisory group who aim to ensure the event passes as smoothly as possible. The Manchester derby was brought forward to 3.30pm earlier in the season for similar reasons, and that reverse fixture will also have a 3.30pm kick-off the week before City head to Anfield.
Guardiola will be hoping that his team can improve a rotten record at the ground. The City manager’s only victory there with the Blues came in 2021 when there were no fans in the stadium, and last season his antics playing up to the crowd only served to whip up an atmosphere that ultimately witnessed another Liverpool victory.
