Anfield boost for Liverpool title bid

The Reds need six points to seal their first championship since 1990, and Merseyside Police have given the go-ahead for what could be the crucial game against Crystal Palace on June 24 to be played at Anfield.

Liverpool’s Premier League matches against Everton and Manchester City, both due to be away fixtures, are the only ones which might have to be played at neutral venues with police forces and local authorities giving approval for the rest of the initial 32 confirmed fixtures to be played on a home-and-away basis.

The Merseyside derby has been fixed as a 7pm kick-off on Sunday, June 21, with the match one of 33 in the remaining 92 to be made available free to air, in this case on Sky’s Pick channel.

A decision on where the match will be played is expected on Monday, when Liverpool City Council’s safety advisory group meets to decide whether the game can be played at Goodison Park as scheduled or needs to be moved away, as the English top-flight prepares to resume behind closed doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The derby was one of five fixtures on a list issued by UK’s football policing lead, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts of South Yorkshire Police, which were set to be played at neutral venues at the request of local forces.

Three of the five games on that ‘neutral venues’ list are within the fixtures released by the Premier League, which cover the first three full rounds of matches in the resumption.

Merseyside Police appeared to contradict DCC Roberts last week by saying they were happy to police matches in Liverpool. The derby could be the game where the Reds clinch their first top-flight title in 30 years, if Manchester City slip up against Arsenal on June 17, but they can wrap it up irrespective of what City do if they win their opening two games.

City’s game against champions-elect Liverpool, who are 25 points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side, on July 2 is also listed as ‘venue TBC’, and had also been on the list of matches earmarked to be moved to a neutral venue.

The first two matches of the resumption will both be on Sky Sports – Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal, on Wednesday, June 17 at 6pm and 8.15pm respectively.