Despite Weather Concerns, the Merseyside Derby Is Set to Go on as Planned

On Saturday we wrote about concerns over the weather forecast for Merseyside. A large snow storm is expected to roll through the Northwest of England early Sunday. Depending on the timing and severity of the storm, there seemed to be a very real possibility that Liverpool’s clash with Everton could be postponed. (The Manchester Derby, scheduled for later in the day, is also potentially at risk.)

Not much has changed. The forecast still suggests significant snowfall on Sunday morning heading into midday, making for potential difficult conditions for fans travelling to Anfield for the 229th Merseyside Derby. To say nothing of conditions on the pitch.

But in a statement released on Saturday, the club assured fans that the game is expected to go ahead as scheduled.

They did, however, offer some words of caution for fans heading to Anfield for the match.

“Due to the inclement weather forecast on Sunday, Liverpool FC would like to remind supporters to take extra care when travelling to Anfield and encourage fans to plan their journey in advance,” the statement read. “Supporters are encouraged to arrive at the stadium early and check the Merseytravel and Merseyrail websites for any updates before they travel.”

Chris Markey from Merseyside Police also made a statement regarding the game and the anticipated weather.

"We will be working closely with the club over the next 24 hours,” Markey said. “We will be monitoring the weather forecast and assessing any travel disruption. At this stage the game against Everton is planned to go ahead. We will be meeting with the club early tomorrow (Sunday) morning and fans will be updated as soon as possible."

So as of press time the Merseyside Derby is still on. Obviously things can change— weather is tricky like that. We’ll keep you updated as new information becomes available.