Manchester City’s Premier League clash with rivals Liverpool has been banned from kicking off at 5.30pm amid concerns over fan trouble.
Mail Sport understands that the two sides were due to face each other at the Etihad Stadium on 25 November in the late Saturday slot on Sky Sports.
However, the local safety advisory group – which includes the police – are not expected to give permission for the fixture to take place in the early evening following a number of issues at previous matches between the pair.
As a result, the game has been brought forward to 12.30pm with the decision having a knock-on effect on Arsenal’s trip to Brentford. That fixture had been pencilled in to kick off at 12.30pm on TNT Sports.
But the City switch means that the two fixtures will effectively swap times, with the broadcasters keeping their original matches and following suit.
Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad in November is set to move forward due to policing concerns
There were a number of crowd disturbances during December’s Carabao Cup tie at the Etihad
During the tie 15-year-old girl was left ‘scarred for life’ after a pint cup weighted with coins was thrown from the Liverpool section onto home fans
Discussions remain ongoing over Liverpool’s ticket allocation for the fixture.
Mail Sport previously revealed that the Merseyside club’s allocation had been cut by 20 per cent for last season’s match.
That move, which saw Liverpool given 2,400 seats instead of the usual 3,000, was made in the wake of numerous incidents of trouble which included a 15-year-old girl being left ‘scarred for life’.
The safety advisory group acted after December’s Carabao Cup clash saw the teenaged City fan struck by a pot weighted with coins that had been hurled from the visiting area.
Before that game both clubs had appealed for calm. However, more than 50 reports of missiles being launched from the away end were made.
Earlier last season, Pep Guardiola claimed he was targeted by coins when City lost at Anfield, and City said their team bus was also attacked, with damage to the windscreen pictured (right)
At the same tie, City fans were accused of trashing the Anfield away end and singing Hillsborough chants
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