Soccer

Local Police withdraw legal challenge to alter Merseyside derby kick-off

Earlier start would reduce public-order fears around fans spending more time drinking before the match starts

Everton’s and Liverpool’s derby match on Saturday will kick-off at the scheduled later time of 5.30pm. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Inpho
Everton’s and Liverpool’s derby match on Saturday will kick-off at the scheduled later time of 5.30pm. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Inpho
Tue Feb 03 2015 - 12:25

Everton's crunch derby clash against Liverpool on Saturday will kick-off at the scheduled later time of 5.30pm after Merseyside Police withdrew a legal challenge.

Police had wanted the kick-off time for the often explosive Premier League clash to be brought forward over public-order fears around fans spending more time drinking before the match starts.

The force had taken their case to a district judge on Tuesday after Liverpool council’s licensing committee last week turned down a police request to bring forward the kick-off time to 2pm or earlier.

But their appeal was withdrawn at South Sefton Magistrates’ Court after a compromise was reached between the police, the council and Everton FC.

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The match will go ahead at the later kick-off time of 5.30pm but Everton will improve segregation between the two sets of fans at the game and all parties agreed to look again at kick-off times for Category C, or ‘risk’ matches.