Why Manchester United vs Liverpool kick-off time was moved today

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·3 May 2026

Why Manchester United vs Liverpool kick-off time was moved today

Clash of Premier League titans has seen its start time shifted

Manchester United host Liverpool this afternoon as both sides look to solidify their places in next year’s Champions League.

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United are on the cusp of qualifying, sat third and 11 points clear of sixth-placed Brighton. Liverpool are fourth, three points off United, level with fifth-placed Aston Villa, and eight ahead of Brighton.

This season, because of the Premier League’s performance in the UEFA coefficient rankings, England’s top flight has five spots up for grabs in Europe’s top competition.

That could be stretched to six should Nottingham Forest win the Europa League, thus qualifying for the Champions League group phase as winners of that tournament.

As such, the additional place has added an extra layer of intensity to this season’s race for Europe, with clubs queueing up to get a slice.

Brighton are in pole position for a Europa League place, while seventh position will qualify for the Europa Conference League.

Add in that Crystal Palace will play Europa League footbal next term should they win the Conference League, and Premier League representation on the continent will be at an all-time high.

It therefore makes this particular encounter - one of the fiercest rivalries in English football - all the more important as we continue the run-in.

United returned to winning ways against Brentford last Monday while Liverpool defeated Palace to keep themselves in the top four.

Why is Man Utd vs Liverpool kicking off at 3.30pm?

This game is slated for a 3.30pm BST kick off on Sunday rather than the usual 4.30pm BST slot, which has raised some eyebrows.

It is still to be aired on Sky Sports Main Event like any other ‘Super Sunday’, but there is no official statement from the Premier League detailing why the kick off time is different.

Reports claim that it is a down to a security concern, taking into account the ferocity of the rivalry, and fixtures deemed ‘high risk’ are often shifted slightly earlier to allow for greater police presence.

There has also been another change in the scheduling on Sunday, with Aston Villa’s game against Tottenham - initially slated for a 12.30pm BST kick off on Saturday - now set for a 7pm BST start on Sunday after the Villans’ Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest on Thursday, where they were beaten 1-0 at the City Ground.

Crystal Palace’s trip to Bournemouth - scheduled for a 2pm BST start - has not changed.