Everton and Liverpool's Premier League Merseyside derby, scheduled for Saturday lunchtime at Goodison Park, has been postponed due to Storm Darragh.
The two rivals were set to open the weekend in the 12.30pm slot for what is set to be the final Premier League derby at Goodison Park before Everton relocate to Bramley-Moore Dock.
However, with the extremely high winds from Storm Darragh posing a danger to life in certain parts of the UK, it has been confirmed by the Liverpool City Council that the game has been called off.
"Following a Safety Advisory Group meeting at Goodison Park, attended by officials from both clubs, as well as representatives from Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council this morning, it was decided that, due to the risk to safety in the local area due to strong wind gusts, and an amber severe wind warning that remains in place until 6am on Sunday, today's fixture should be postponed on safety grounds," Liverpool said in a statement.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank supporters for their understanding. Whilst we appreciate this will be deeply disappointing for supporters, the safety of fans, staff and players is of paramount importance."
The Merseyside derby is the first and currently only Premier League match to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions this weekend, although a handful of lower-league matches have also been called off amid safety fears.
Cardiff City's Championship battle with Watford and Plymouth Argyle's home match with Oxford United will not be played on Saturday, and nor will Bristol Rovers' League One clash with Bolton Wanderers or Newport County's League Two affair with Carlisle United.
When could the Merseyside derby be rescheduled for?
© Imago
As the local authorities only made the call to cancel the Merseyside derby on Saturday morning, the Premier League is understandably yet to decide on a new date for the final top-flight encounter between the clubs at Goodison Park.
Finding an alternative weekend or weekday for the encounter is complicated by Liverpool's participation in the Champions League, where Arne Slot's side are on course to reach the last 16 as they sit in first place in the 36-team table.
In addition, the Reds face Southampton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on December 18, which could precede semi-final encounters on January 6, 2025 and February 3, 2025, as well as the final on March 16.
Both Everton and Liverpool also begin their FA Cup journeys on January 11, and the Reds' final two Champions League league phase matches are scheduled for January 21 and January 29 respectively.
Slot's side do have a six-day break in between games against Manchester United on January 5 and Accrington Stanley on January 11, giving rise to January 8 being a potential date, although Everton's FA Cup opener against Peterborough United is set to be played a day after that.
A midweek game in the first couple of weeks of February is seemingly the best bet at this juncture, as Liverpool should bypass the UCL knockout round playoffs, where the first legs will be played on 11–12 February and the second on 18–19 February.
Depending on how both sides fare in the FA Cup, the match could be rescheduled for the fourth round weekend (February 8-9), the fifth round weekend (March 1-2) or the quarter-final dates (March 29-30).
The postponement of Saturday's game means that Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League table could now be cut down to four points by Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday, while 15th-placed Everton could be leapfrogged by Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
Ben Knapton
