Liverpool's Premier League clash with bitter rivals Manchester United, scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Anfield, could allegedly be cancelled due to bad weather, with snow falling overnight in the Liverpool area.
Amber weather warnings for snow and freezing rain are in place in both Liverpool and Manchester, and according to The Mirror, Liverpool City Council's Safety Advisory Group is due to hold a meeting on Sunday morning to discuss the situation.
The report claims that the Premier League showdown is under threat, with it yet to be decided whether the fixture between the two most successful clubs in English football will be able to go ahead.
A further update on Sunday morning revealed that Liverpool Airport had temporarily closed their runaway, causing more travel disruption, while there are concerns over the safety of supporters travelling on the roads.
The Merseyside derby, scheduled for the start of December, had to be postponed due to Storm Darragh, which caused heavy winds across the majority of the United Kingdom, leading to a red warning from the Met Office.
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Liverpool vs. Man United could be postponed due to bad weather
"Liverpool FC can confirm today's Premier League fixture against Everton at Goodison Park, scheduled for a 12.30pm kick-off, has been postponed," read a statement from Liverpool in relation to their clash with Everton.
"This is due to severe weather and high winds, which have also resulted in severe travel disruption in and around Merseyside.
"Following a Safety Advisory Group meeting this morning at Goodison Park, attended by officials from both clubs, as well as representatives from Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council, it was decided that due to the risk to safety in the local area, and the amber severe wind warning that remains in place until 6am on Sunday, today's match is postponed on safety grounds."
There is now a serious threat to the fixture with Man United, with Liverpool facing their second postponement of the campaign.
Liverpool are five points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with two games in hand, and they are set to welcome a Man United side that sit down in 14th in England's top flight.
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When will a final decision be made?
The Safety Advisory Group will wait until the last possible moment before making a decision, but it will have to arrive early on Sunday morning due to supporters setting off for the clash at Anfield.
The journey home from Anfield will also be taken into consideration, with the fixture not due to finish until approximately 6.30pm, when more icy conditions are expected to cause travel disruption.
The snow in the Liverpool area, which is currently light, is due to stop at around 9am, and the Reds released a new statement shortly after 9.30am, confirming that the game was due to go ahead as scheduled for the time being.
However, the Safety Advisory Group will reconvene for another meeting at 12pm before making a final decision, and Liverpool implored their supporters to take additional safety measures where necessary.
"A safety meeting was held this morning to assess the weather and travel conditions for today's fixture against Manchester United at Anfield," the Reds said. At this stage the match is planned to go ahead as normal and every effort is being made to get the game on.
"A further safety meeting will take place again at midday to assess the latest conditions. We will update supporters just as soon as we can. Please take extra care out there, Reds."
One game in England's top four divisions has already been postponed due to adverse weather conditions on Sunday - Chesterfield's home clash with Gillingham in League Two.
Matt Law
