Liverpool fans will need to adapt their plans for November after the Premier League confirmed a series of fixture changes, with three of the club’s matches moved to accommodate the congested domestic and European schedule.
This season has seen English clubs heavily represented across UEFA competitions, with nine teams involved: Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United in the Champions League; Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the Europa League; and Crystal Palace in the Europa Conference League.
The result has been a significant reshaping of the domestic calendar as broadcasters and the Premier League work to fit in marquee fixtures around midweek European commitments.
For the reigning champions Liverpool who continued their flawless start to the campaign were in Champions League action defeating Atletico Madrid 3-2 at Anfield on Wednesday night, the reshuffle means a demanding month of fixtures that could prove pivotal in their pursuit of silverware.
October begins under the lights at Anfield when Aston Villa arrive on Saturday, November 1. Originally scheduled for earlier in the day, the fixture will now kick off at 8pm GMT, It will be the first of several high-profile clashes in a run that could shape Liverpool’s trajectory heading into the busy festive period.
The game had to be moved from its earlier start time due to England’s Rugby League match being played at Everton‘s stadium earlier in the day.
The Aston Villa clash, will be broadcasted live on TNT Sports, but couldn’t be played the following day, as that would not leave enough time between the Sunday fixture and the Reds’ subsequent Tuesday meeting with Real Madrid at Anfield
A week later comes one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the season. Arne Slot’s side will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Pep Guardiola Manchester City. That game has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 9, with a 4.30pm GMT kick-off and live on Sky Sports.
The meeting of the two recent powerhouses of English football has become a fixture that often influences the title race and with both clubs competing in the Champions League, the timing reflects the need to provide sufficient recovery time between European and domestic commitments.
Liverpool will round off the month with a trip to the London Stadium to take on West Ham United. Originally a Saturday fixture, it has been pushed back to Sunday, November 30, starting at 2.05pm GMT, also on Sky Sports.
That clash arrives just before the calendar flips into December, traditionally the most unforgiving stretch of the season with matches coming thick and fast across the league, Europe, and domestic cups.
The reshuffling underlines the intensity of Liverpool’s schedule, with little room to breathe between top-level contests.
Slot has already spoken about the need for rotation as the club balances Premier League ambitions with the demands of Europe, and November will provide an early test of squad depth.
Encounters against Aston Villa under Unai Emery and Manchester City in particular will offer a clearer sense of where Liverpool stand in the title picture.
Liverpool’s revised November schedule:
Liverpool v Aston Villa – Saturday November 1 (8pm, TNT Sports)
Manchester City v Liverpool – Sunday November 9 (4.30pm, Sky Sports)
West Ham United v Liverpool – Sunday November 30 (2.05pm, Sky Sports)
