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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Keifer MacDonald

Why Crystal Palace v Liverpool kicks off at 7.45pm on Saturday night with no lunchtime game

Liverpool will have their top-four Premier League credentials tested once again on Saturday evening as they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.

After appearing to rescue the Anfield wreckage with back-to-back victories against Everton and Newcastle United last time out, Jurgen Klopp's side suffered a humiliating 5-2 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie to Real Madrid on Tuesday.

But despite the trouncing at the hands of the European champions, nearly 3,000 Reds supporters will make the trip to South East London on Saturday for the fixture. However, both sets of supporters have voiced their annoyance at the game kicking off at 7:45pm due to it being selected as one of Sky Sports television picks.

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But why has the meeting been shifted from a Saturday 3pm kick-off to an uncommon slot later that night?

According to the Mail, the inconvenient kick-off is a result of Sky Sports broadcasting the Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon. It means the main broadcasters of the Premier League will only televise one league fixture on Sunday, with Chelsea's visit to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur pencilled in for a 1:30pm start time.

As a result, Sky were allowed to choose another encounter from the list of 3pm kick offs to fill their quota. However, if Manchester City had reached the Carabao Cup final then the Reds' late trip to Selhurst Park would have brought forward into the 5:30pm slot.

Eagle-eyed supporters will have also noticed that BT Sport will not be showing a 12:30pm fixture on Saturday, February 25. That is due to Newcatle's participation in the League Cup, who were due to host Brighton the day before. That fixture will now be rescheduled for a later date between now and the end of the Premier League season.

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