Everton vs Liverpool off due to Storm Darragh
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Beth Lindop, Reporter December 7, 2024, 11:39 AM
The Premier League match between Liverpool and Everton at Goodison Park has been delayed because of bad weather in the Merseyside area.
The other four Premier League matches scheduled for Saturday went ahead as expected.
The last league Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, before Everton relocates to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
It has now been officially announced that the match has been canceled due to the impact of Storm Darragh, which is expected to bring wind gusts of up to 70mph to the area.
Discussions occurred on Saturday morning between the two teams and local officials. Due to worries about the safety of fans heading to Goodison, a decision was made to postpone the match. It is now expected that this game will be rescheduled to take place as a night game later in the season.
On Saturday morning, Everton released a statement explaining that after a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group at Goodison Park, which included officials from both teams along with members of Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council, it was concluded that today's match would be delayed. This decision was made due to concerns about safety in the surrounding area, specifically because of strong wind gusts and a severe amber wind warning that is in effect until 6 a.m. on Sunday.
We sincerely apologize for any trouble this may have caused and appreciate the understanding of our supporters. We recognize that this news will be quite disappointing, but the safety of our fans, staff, and players is our top priority.
Details about the new date for the event will be shared soon. All tickets bought for the original date will still be valid for the rescheduled event.
Liverpool currently holds a seven-point advantage at the top of the Premier League standings. However, that gap could shrink to four points if Chelsea and Arsenal manage to win their matches against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
The other matches kick off at 3 p.m. local time. Aston Villa will take on Southampton and is encouraging supporters to allow additional time to reach Villa Park in Birmingham, located in the West Midlands.
In London, Brentford will be facing off against Newcastle, while Crystal Palace will take on Manchester City.
Brentford and Crystal Palace both confirmed that their matches will go ahead as scheduled.
"Brentford announced that today's game will proceed as planned, even with the unfavorable weather conditions. They advise everyone to travel cautiously, prepare in advance, and give themselves additional time for their trip."
According to Steve Willington, the chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Storm Darragh is predicted to "slowly diminish starting late in the morning as it moves across the UK, leading to a decrease in the strongest winds in the west by Saturday."
This report includes information from the Associated Press.
