The city’s heated footie clash has been chucked on the back burner as Everton confirmed their face-off with Liverpool at Goodison Park is off thanks to Storm Darragh wreaking havoc. Big boisterous winds have put the kibosh on sports, with Met Office warnings causing a bit of a stir.
Not just any derby, mind – it’s set to be the final matchup in the Goodison Park neighbourhood before the Toffees up sticks to Bramley-Moore Dock next term. Turning to social media, Everton said: “Today’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions.”
In an official statement, they said: “Following a Safety Advisory Group meeting at Goodison Park, attended by officials from both clubs, as well as representatives from Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council this morning, it was decided that, due to the risk to safety in the local area due to strong wind gusts, and an amber severe wind warning that remains in place until 6am on Sunday, today’s fixture should be postponed on safety grounds.”
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(Image: Getty Images)
Adding more, Everton said, “We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank supporters for their understanding. Whilst we appreciate this will be deeply disappointing for supporters, the safety of fans, staff and players is of paramount importance. Information relating to a rearranged date for the fixture will be announced in due course. All tickets purchased for the original fixture will remain valid for the rearranged fixture.”
On Friday night, Everton and Liverpool issued a joint statement urging fans to reconsider their travel plans. Despite initial hopes that the match would proceed as planned, worsening weather conditions left them with no other option but to postpone, reports the Mirror.
An amber weather alert has been issued for Merseyside. Arne Slot’s team had been aiming to extend their Premier League lead to ten points, even if only temporarily.
A midweek draw allowed competitors to close the gap slightly, but they could still find themselves four points ahead of some rivals. With a busy fixture list in December and Liverpool competing on multiple fronts, rescheduling the match will be a challenge.
Meanwhile, nearby Aintree racecourse was forced to delay their Saturday race meet as Storm Darragh began to damage the track. Several matches have already been cancelled due to the weather.
The Welsh FA announced that all matches in Wales have been postponed, including Cardiff City’s Championship clash with Watford. Plymouth Argyle also confirmed the postponement of their Championship match against Oxford United.
A rare red weather warning is in effect in Wales and south-west England, indicating that Storm Darragh could pose a threat to life. A wind gust of 93mph (150 kmh) was recorded in Wales on Saturday morning, and heavy rain is expected in some areas today.
An amber weather alert has been issued for the western regions of England and Wales, the south-western part of Scotland, and most of Northern Ireland.