Manchester United have asked UEFA to move kick-off in their Europa League second leg tie against Liverpool to a later slot, according to the Mirror.
United and Liverpool are due to kick-off at 6pm at Old Trafford on March 17 in a game that will decide which of English football’s fiercest rivals will advance to the quarter-finals.
But United feel the early kick-off is unfair on their fans, in terms of enabling them to make it to the game, and have contacted UEFA to request it be pushed back to 8pm.
The game at Anfield kicks off at 8.05pm on March 10 and United feel it is only fair their fans have parity with those of their fiercest rivals in terms of getting to the match.
Manchester City Council’s safety advisory group will liaise with Greater Manchester Police over the proposed later kick-off at Old Trafford.
But it is not thought putting the game back two hours would be opposed by both bodies, despite issues over security and safety issues involving rival fans.
The last time United and Liverpool met in an evening kick-off, in a Capital One Cup tie at Old Trafford in September 2013, the game was marred by a lit flare being thrown from the away section in the East Stand onto home fans below.
Although no sanctions were brought against either club, the Football Association wrote to both regarding the matter, with smoke bombs also an issue at the game, despite pre-match searches as fans entered the game.
Despite that incident, only 10 arrests were made at the game, and United are confident the tie at Old Trafford will pass off without incident, despite the bitter rivalry between the two clubs and the potential for trouble.
There are traffic concerns, with the 6pm kick-off scheduled for the height of rush hour in Manchester, while an added complication is the fact the game is being played on St Patrick’s Day.
Manchester city centre will be busier than normal because of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with chaos predicted as fans from United and Liverpool make their way to Old Trafford.
Moving the kick-off would see United and Liverpool’s game clash with Tottenham’s against Borussia Dortmund, and it remains to be seen if UEFA and the TV companies would sanction the switch.
United are also speaking to Liverpool to try to increase their ticket allocation for the first leg at Anfield from 2,276 to 2,700 .
Under UEFA rules, clubs are entitled to five per cent of the ticket alloaction at away games, but United want that increased to allow more of their fans to attend Anfield.
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