Why Man Utd vs Everton is taking place at 7pm on Sunday

The reasoning for Manchester United and Everton’s unusual kick-off time, scheduled for 7pm on Sunday night, has finally been explained. 

Question marks were raised when it was revealed that Erik ten Hag’s side would travel to Goodison Park late on a Sunday – which is rarely seen in the Premier League. 

However, with the game initially scheduled for Saturday, it’s now been revealed that it’s been rescheduled as part the league’s new rules surrounding the Saturday 12.30 pm kick-off.

The Toffees will go into the game in good spirits having picked up consecutive league wins

BT Sport are typically given the broadcasting rights for the Premier League’s 12:30pm kick-off on a Saturday, but once it was announced that that game would be Everton vs Man United, a decision was made to change it.

This is because Erik ten Hag’s side will be in Cyprus on Thursday as they face Omonia Nicosia in their Europa League group stage game – and so need a greater time to recover before travelling to Merseyside.

This comes as part of the Premier League’s new ruling that clubs playing in European competitions on either Wednesday or Thursday will not be eligible to play in the 12:30pm Saturday slot. 

United will continue their Europa League campaign with a trip to Cyprus on Thursday night

A late Sunday kick-off is common across Europe’s other leagues and could soon be something that English football fans are familiar with.  

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was one of the first managers to raise concerns with the fixture scheduling back in 2020, when he claimed he wouldn’t ‘finish the season with 11 players’ if things didn’t change.

After the Reds’ game with Leicester two years ago, Klopp said: ‘I’m afraid to say but I think it (running out of steam) could happen not only to us but to other teams as well.

‘You (BT Sport) my special friends ask us to go on Saturday at 12.30pm, which is nearly a crime to be honest. It has nothing to do with the game tonight but congratulations for that.’

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp raised concerns over fixture scheduling in November 2020 

Klopp continued: ‘It was never about us when I spoke about it. It’s about all the players, England players, players who play next summer in the European Championship.

‘But if you [Sky] don’t start talking to BT then we’re all done. Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and then Saturday [at] 12:30pm, I’m not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players – all the top seven.’

Frank Lampard’s Everton will come into the game in good spirits after picking up consecutive league victories, while United will be looking to bounce back from their 6-3 derby loss to Manchester City.