Liverpool and Chelsea fans may need to factor in a potential change to the scheduling of the Carabao Cup final next month.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Metropolitan Police have requested that the current kick-off time of 4:30pm on Sunday 25 February is brought forward to 3pm at the latest on public order grounds, deeming the match to be a high-risk fixture.
The EFL (who organise the tournament) had initially stood by the initial time due to their contract with Sky Sports, although sources on both sides have indicated that a compromise could be struck which’d see the authorities get their wish. The matter is set to be discussed by the relevant parties in the coming days.
READ MORE: (Video) Cody Gakpo sums up Jurgen Klopp’s managerial style at Liverpool in seven words
It must be noted that Liverpool and Chelsea met in two cup finals at Wembley in 2022 with a teatime kick-off, both of which passed off without any major disturbances occurring, although police are taking an increasingly cautious approach due to a depressing rise in instances of disorder at and around football matches.
While a rivalry has undoubtedly developed between the two fans bases over the past couple of decades, it’s not a fixture with a history of violence or unrest, and we firmly hope there won’t be any unsavoury scenes at the Carabao Cup final next month.
For Reds fans travelling from Merseyside, a change to a 3pm kick-off may be appreciated in terms of helping to facilitate an earlier return home after the match, particularly if it goes to penalties like two years ago.
On that occasion, the game didn’t finish until nearly 7:30pm after extra time and a marathon penalty shoot-out were required, while supporters would also have stayed on to see Liverpool lifting the trophy.
Whatever decision is made, it’ll ideally be done quickly so that fans know exactly where they stand before booking match tickets, transport and other such expenses.