Liverpool v Brighton at serious risk of being postponed as Storm Boelo approaches
Liverpool's upcoming Premier League clash with Brighton could be in doubt for safety reasons due to Storm Boelo.
On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool are set to welcome an in-form Brighton and Hove Albion side to Anfield for their eighth Premier League fixture of the season.
However, with the UK currently at the mercy of Storm Austen and anticipating the arrival of Storm Boelo over the weekend, there are serious concerns that Liverpool v Brighton will not go ahead this weekend.
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Liverpool v Brighton at risk of postponement due to Storm Boelo
Heading into the match against Brighton on Sunday, Liverpool currently sit fifth in the Premier League, winning and drawing three matches with one loss, totalling 12 points.
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Brighton meanwhile sit two spots above in third with a spectacular run of form under Fabian Hurzeler leading to them winning five of their Premier League fixtures so far, with one draw and one loss.
Sunday's clash therefore promises to be one of the best matches of the weekend, but with the UK Met Office has already issued a yellow weather warning from midday Saturday to Sunday at 9pm, there's a chance it won't even be played.
Currently, the forecast predicts “very windy conditions” that will persist throughout the matchday with gusts of 55-65mph expected on Merseyside.
Although it remains to be seen what the reality of Storm Boelo will be this weekend, a local Safety Advisory Group will have to make a decision on if the match is able to go ahead on Sunday.
This Safety Advisory Group includes club officials alongside representatives from Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council.
Pitch conditions and the safety for the players will be considered and, with road and rail link networks likely to face disruption across the weekend, the safety of travelling supporters will also be key.
With conditions caused by Storm Austen currently pretty bad in Brighton, it will also be considered whether it is safe to ask the Seagulls, and fans, to travel to and from Merseyside over the weekend.
What happens if Liverpool v Brighton is postponed?
If Liverpool's upcoming clash with Brighton is postponed this weekend, it would be have to be rearranged for a later date.
With both clubs currently competing both in the Carabao Cup and a European league, it could prove difficult to find a suitable date to play the rearranged fixture in the near future.
That being said, it is believed that two windows in December could provide the earliest opportunity for a rearranged meeting between the two clubs, depending on their Carabao Cup progress.
December 15–16 appears to be the earliest chance for the game to be played, but this would require both sides to be knocked out of the Carabao Cup in their next match, with the competition's quarter-finals scheduled to be played that weekend.
In their Carabao Cup fourth round fixture, Liverpool are set to host Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday, while Brighton travel to the Etihad Stadium for a tough away day against Manchester City.
If either club make it to the quarter-finals, December 22–23 remains an alternative, as it is a gap between their final pre-Christmas league games and Boxing Day, with no European fixtures scheduled that week.
UK football fixture schedule this weekend
Of course, Liverpool v Brighton is likely not to be the only match that could be impacted by Storm Austen and Storm Boelo, with 46 fixtures set to be played across the top four leagues in England, with 16 Scottish league fixtures scheduled.
Premier League
Friday 23 October
- Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest — 20:00
Saturday 24 October
- Aston Villa v Manchester City — 12:30
- Arsenal v Everton — 15:00
- Coventry City v Fulham — 15:00
- Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur — 17:30
Sunday 25 October
- Crystal Palace v Newcastle United — 14:00
- Hull City v Brentford — 14:00
- Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion — 14:00
- Manchester United v Bournemouth — 14:00
- Sunderland v Leeds United — 16:30.
Championship
Friday 23 October
- Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough — 20:00
Saturday 24 October
- Charlton Athletic v Norwich City — 12:30
- Portsmouth v Millwall — 12:30
- Sheffield United v Derby County — 12:30
- Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham — 15:00
- Cardiff City v Birmingham City — 15:00
- Lincoln City v Burnley — 15:00
- Preston North End v West Bromwich Albion — 15:00
- Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City — 15:00
- Stoke City v Bristol City — 15:00
- West Ham United v Southampton — 15:00
- Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford — 15:00.
League One
Saturday 24 October
- Huddersfield Town v Wigan Athletic — 12:30
- Luton Town v Leicester City — 12:30
- AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe Wanderers — 15:00
- Blackpool v Mansfield Town — 15:00
- Bromley v Peterborough United — 15:00
- Burton Albion v Leyton Orient — 15:00
- Cambridge United v Plymouth Argyle — 15:00
- Doncaster Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday — 15:00
- Notts County v Stockport County — 15:00
- Oxford United v Bradford City — 15:00
- Reading v Barnsley — 15:00
- Stevenage v Milton Keynes Dons — 15:00.
League Two
Saturday 24 October
- Bristol Rovers v Swindon Town — 12:30
- Cheltenham Town v Newport County — 12:30
- Northampton Town v Colchester United — 12:30
- Barnet v Oldham Athletic — 15:00
- Chesterfield v Crewe Alexandra — 15:00
- Crawley Town v Tranmere Rovers — 15:00
- Exeter City v Fleetwood Town — 15:00
- Gillingham v Grimsby Town — 15:00
- Rochdale v Accrington Stanley — 15:00
- Rotherham United v Shrewsbury Town — 15:00
- York City v Port Vale — 15:00.
Monday 26 October
- Walsall v Salford City — 20:00.
Scottish Premiership
Saturday 24 October
- Dundee United v Aberdeen — 15:00
- Falkirk v Kilmarnock — 15:00
- Rangers v St Johnstone — 15:00
- St Mirren v Dundee — 15:00
Sunday 25 October
- Hibernian v Celtic — 12:00
- Motherwell v Hearts — 14:00.
Scottish Championship
Saturday 24 October
- Greenock Morton v Ayr United — 15:00
- Livingston v Arbroath — 15:00
- Partick Thistle v Stenhousemuir — 15:00
- Queen’s Park v Dunfermline Athletic — 15:00
- Raith Rovers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle — 15:00.
Scottish League One
Saturday 24 October
- Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South — 15:00
- Cove Rangers v East Kilbride — 15:00
- Hamilton Academical v East Fife — 15:00
- Montrose v Peterhead — 15:00
- Ross County v Airdrieonians — 15:00.
Topics: Premier League, Brighton And Hove Albion, Liverpool, Football
Ben McCrum