Liverpool’s trip to Man City after the November international break has been pushed back to 12.30pm, the third early kick-off since the break this season.
Liverpool face Pep Guardiola’s side on Saturday 25 November, the match coming just after the final international break of the calendar year.
And if Jurgen Klopp hoped his Saturday lunchtime squad selection after the September-October break would make Liverpool immune, he would be wrong.
Many expected the match to kick off late in the evening, but instead it will be another tight turnaround for Klopp’s men after their round-the-world trip, as Paul Joyce of the Times says. Sky Sports will broadcast the match live in the UK.
Klopp has not been shy about sharing his thoughts on the 12.30pm kick-off, which he only notices when they arrive just after international breaks or an afternoon game.
And he will have plenty of frustration as Liverpool have been selected for the 12.30 break 14 times since Klopp was at the helm.
Liverpool kick off this season at 12:30
Wolves (A) – Won 3-1
Everton (H) – 21 October
Man City (A) – 25 November
That might not sound like a lot over eight years, but it is when you compare it to who is second in the table – which is sixth-placed Tottenham.
That’s more than double the 12.30 kick-offs of the next team in the table after the international break – no wonder Klopp said it was a “joke” last month. He later sought to qualify his criticism, saying: “At 3pm the matches are only two-and-a-half hours away, that’s true, but it’s completely different when you have a pre-match meal at 9am.
“It means the boys aren’t quite there yet because they’re from a completely different time zone. And anyone who’s ever experienced jet lag knows how that feels.
“All these things are really difficult and the only thing I ask is that all the TV stations help out there because you want the best product and we want the best product.”
Liverpool started six lunchtime games last season but won none, drew three and lost three. They already have one win this season and we hope that’s a good sign!
