Liverpool are set to face Brentford in the Premier League this weekend at an unusually late kickoff time — and the reason for the schedule change has now been revealed. Under Jurgen Klopp, the Reds were often chosen for the early Saturday 12:30pm slot, a decision that frequently drew criticism from the former manager during his nine-year reign.
However, this time Liverpool’s match will take place under the lights, with TNT Sports broadcasting the clash from the Gtech Community Stadium at 8pm on Saturday — a rare evening kickoff for the champions.
Arne Slot’s side will be eager to end a miserable month that has seen them suffer four straight defeats for the first time since 2014, when Brendan Rodgers was in charge. Their most recent loss, a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield, was arguably the low point of Slot’s tenure so far — but the later kickoff may offer some relief after a demanding schedule.
The change in timing is due to Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night. The game was originally chosen for TNT Sports’ usual Saturday lunchtime coverage back in August, but was pushed back to accommodate the Reds’ European commitments.
Saturday’s meeting will also see some familiar faces reunited. Former Liverpool duo Caoimhin Kelleher — once the Reds’ penalty shootout hero — and ex-captain Jordan Henderson, now with Brentford after a brief spell in Saudi Arabia, will face their old club.
Liverpool’s fixture isn’t the only one affected by midweek European action. Three other Premier League matches have been moved to 2pm on Sunday, including Aston Villa vs Manchester City, Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth, and Arsenal vs Crystal Palace — all to allow extra rest for sides involved in continental competition.
Elsewhere, West Ham United will travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Friday night. The Hammers, currently 19th in the table after a poor run of form, return to action just five days after a 2-0 defeat to Brentford. Both this fixture and the Brentford-Liverpool clash were chosen by Sky Sports for live coverage, prompting their rescheduling from the standard 3pm Saturday slot.
With both Leeds and West Ham desperate to return to winning ways, Friday night’s encounter represents a vital chance for either Nuno Espirito Santo or Daniel Farke to ease growing pressure and lift their sides clear of early-season relegation worries.
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