Merseyside derby remains 5.30pm kickoff despite police opposition

The Premier League has confirmed that the derby clash between Everton and Liverpool will kick off at 5.30pm, despite opposition from the local council and Merseyside Police.

The fixture, which is to be played on Saturday February 7, was moved to 5.30pm in order for it to be shown live on Sky Sports, but police believe that there is high risk of disorder and wanted the match to start no later than 1.30pm.

However, the kickoff time could only be changed if there were questions over a safety certificate being issued, and with no such problems the game is set to go ahead at Goodison Park at the allotted time.

The first Merseyside derby of the season finished 1-1 at Anfield.