Liverpool's Unusual 2:05 p.m. Sunday Kickoff Time Explained
Liverpool's campaign to defend their Premier League crown has been an absolute catastrophe, with circumstances potentially deteriorating further this Sunday.
The Merseyside club, having suffered defeat in six of their last seven league encounters, travels to face a rejuvenated West Ham United squad as they seek to climb out of the Premier League's lower half. The Hammers are enjoying a three-match undefeated run that features morale-lifting victories against Newcastle United and Burnley at their home ground.
Liverpool will be dreading another setback having been defeated in all three of their London visits this campaign and must deal with an unfamiliar scheduling quirk—their encounter with West Ham commences at 2:05 p.m. GMT instead of the standard 2:00 p.m Sunday time slot.
But what explains the Reds' unusual kickoff timing?
Why Does West Ham vs. Liverpool Kick Off at 2:05 p.m.?
Liverpool's marginally postponed start time stems from the fixture between Manchester United and Crystal Palace during Gameweek 13. Initially chosen by TNT Sports for their broadcast 12:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff, the match required rescheduling to Sunday at 12:00 p.m. because of Palace's European Conference League obligations.
To provide additional breathing room between matches and prevent any scheduling overlap, all Sunday 2:00 p.m. kickoffs have been pushed back five minutes to 2:05 p.m. This adjustment affects West Ham vs. Liverpool, Nottingham Forest vs. Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers. The day's final 4:30 p.m. clash between Chelsea and Arsenal remains unchanged.
For superstitious members of Liverpool's support base, Sunday's timing alteration brings concern. The Reds have competed in the 2:05 p.m. time slot only five times in Premier League history, suffering defeat in three of those matches and managing merely 0.8 points per game.
Thankfully for Liverpool, they possess an excellent recent history versus West Ham. Arne Slot secured victories in all three meetings with the London club last season—including comprehensive five-goal triumphs in both league and Carabao Cup competition—and the Reds have been beaten just once in their previous 20 encounters with this weekend's opponents.