Plans to reschedule Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal for Christmas Eve have been plunged into doubt.
Sky Sports had hoped to push back the Reds’ December 23 game at the Emirates Stadium back by 24 hours for the first time in the Premier League since 1995.
But the broadcaster’s bid is reportedly already hitting a major stumbling block.
The Daily Telegraph claim that Arsenal may not be awarded a safety certificate due to a lack of stewards willing to oversee the changed fixture for the match.
A decision is yet to be made on whether Liverpool’s game will be moved for TV purposes but Anfield officials are preparing to strongly oppose the proposals.
Fan group Spirit of Shankly have also urged ‘common sense’ to prevail with supporters travelling to London from Merseyside set to encounter travel chaos.
Arsenal’s own Supporters’ Trust echoed that message in a meeting on Monday, where 99 per cent of members would be opposed to the Christmas Eve match.
Jurgen Klopp also weighed into the debate last week when asked on his views, slamming Sky’s plans to create potential upheaval in Liverpool’s festive fixtures.
“Let me say this; if the supporters want to see a game on Christmas Eve, then probably the TV broadcaster will find a way to deliver it,” he said at the time.
“Now I know it is possible, and – like it was in the past few years – if something not too cool around fixtures can happen, then Liverpool is involved!
“It would mean we not only play in the night of the 24th, we would also play again four games in nine days which is the worst you can get.
“I always said that the broadcaster has to consider that the wonderful thing they sell – and give a lot of money to the clubs for, 100% – depends on the players and the quality and freshness of the players.
“If they have to play 24 Dec, then I’m not sure we can fight against it?
“But Sky then has to make a decision if they really want to do this?
“If they really want to bring supporters on the street, and at night, if they really want to bring all the people who work for television away from home and at night, then we are the last ones in the row to say something about this.”