Arsenal and Liverpool furious and left fearing travel chaos as TV bosses plan to switch fixture to Christmas Eve

  • Arsenal's home fixture against Liverpool is currently scheduled for December 23
  • But there is an increasing prospect that it will be put back 24 hours for television
  • Arsenal fear stewards will be unwilling to work that day and leave them short
  • Liverpool believe the push-back would be prohibitive for their travelling fans 

Arsenal and Liverpool will be powerless to prevent change if their fixture at the Emirates Stadium is switched to Christmas Eve.

As things stand, one of the highest profile games of the festive season is scheduled for December 23 but there is an increasing prospect that it will be put back a further 24 hours so it can be broadcast on TV, with a likely 3pm kick-off.

Sky Sports will announce in October the schedule for the next round of televised matches and it is likely they will schedule a game on Christmas Eve for the first time since December 1995.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is used to the Christmas breaks of the Bundesliga

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is used to the Christmas breaks of the Bundesliga

Liverpool will strongly oppose any move to reschedule match at Arsenal for Christmas Eve

Travel disruption and family commitments could see a raft of empty seats for the game

The prospect of the switch has left both clubs furious. Arsenal have concerns about the significant number of fans who will travel by air to the Emirates Stadium and there is also the prospect of stewarding issues with people being unwilling to work that day.


Liverpool are strongly arguing against the prospect of a switch and believe it would be prohibitive for fans to travel to London, particularly with issues revolving around travel by rail and road.

Liverpool are also fearing travel chaos with Virgin yet to announce their Christmas timetable

Liverpool are also fearing travel chaos with Virgin yet to announce their Christmas timetable

Arsenal fear they will be left short of stewards with few willing to work on Christmas Eve

Arsenal fear they will be left short of stewards with few willing to work on Christmas Eve

It has been reported that the last train to leave London Euston for Liverpool on Christmas Eve is 21.22 but that is not the case, with Virgin Trains yet to confirm their Christmas timetable - that will not happen until October 16.

Both clubs will continue to engage in dialogue with the Premier League - who have not responded to calls from Sportsmail on the matter - and will forcefully argue their position in the hope that the kick-off remains on its current date.

However, if Sky do switch the game and it is ratified by the Premier League, there would be nothing either club could do regardless of whether they are in agreement that the contest should not be played on Christmas Eve.

Such a move would be greeted with fury by supporters and officials alike and it will be interesting to learn the thoughts of Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp about the project of the switch. 

Arsene Wenger has already expressed his concerns about Arsenal's fixture congestion

Arsene Wenger has already expressed his concerns about Arsenal's fixture congestion