The Merseyside Derby between Everton and Liverpool has been postponed as Storm Darragh causes disruption across the country.
The fixture was due to kick off at 12.30pm UK time on Saturday, 7 December at Goodison Park, but authorities made the decision to call off the game due to safety concerns. The game will be rescheduled to take place at a later date.
It’s not the only postponement in English football this weekend. Cardiff City vs Watford and Plymouth Argyle vs Oxford United in the Championship as well as the League One tie between Bristol Rovers and Bolton Wanderers have also been deferred.
Why Everton vs Liverpool was postponed
The Merseyside Derby has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions in Liverpool, caused by Storm Darragh. An amber weather warning has been issued has high winds and rain battered the west coast on Saturday morning.
A statement from the Premier League confirmed that the fixture was postponed “due to the risk to safety in the local area”.
“Following a Safety Advisory Group meeting at Goodison Park, attended by officials from both clubs, as well as representatives from Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council this morning, it was decided that, due to the risk to safety in the local area and the amber severe wind warning that remains in place until 06:00 GMT on Sunday, today’s fixture should be postponed on safety grounds,” the statement read.
“The postponement is as a consequence of severe bad weather and high winds from Storm Darragh. High winds overnight has also resulted in severe travel disruption in and around Merseyside. Any further information will be shared as and when it becomes available.”
Everton vs Liverpool – Merseyside Derby postponed due to Storm Darragh
Possible dates for Everton vs Liverpool
The Merseyside Derby will now have to be played at some other point in the season, but the congested football schedule makes finding a possible date for the rescheduled game a difficult proposition. It will almost certainly have to be set for a free midweek, of which there are precious few.
The earliest the two clubs could fulfill the fixture is 1st January, when neither side are playing. That would be just two days after Everton host Nottingham Forest and Liverpool travel to West Ham United in the Premier League.
They could face off a week later on either 7th or 8th January, but only if Liverpool do not reach the semi-finals of the EFL Cup. The same goes for 4th or 5th February.
There is the possibility of playing the match on either the 11th/12th or 18th/19th of February, provided Liverpool bypass the Uefa Champions League play-offs. That seems likely at this juncture, as the Reds are top of the league table with 15 points from their opening five games.
In a statement, Everton said: “All tickets purchased for the original fixture will remain valid for the rearranged fixture.”
