Everton’s match against Liverpool at Goodison Park has been postponed due to the disruption caused by Storm Darragh, which continues to impact the UK’s sporting calendar.
The Met Office has issued warnings of strong winds, prompting the decision to delay the fixture, originally scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 PM. This game was set to be the final Premier League showdown between the two rivals at Goodison Park, as Everton prepares to move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock next season.
A new date for the match will need to be arranged. Everton announced the postponement on social media, stating: “Today’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions.”
In an official statement, the club added: “Following a Safety Advisory Group meeting at Goodison Park this morning—attended by officials from both clubs, representatives from Merseyside Police, and Liverpool City Council—it was determined that today’s fixture should be postponed on safety grounds. This decision was made due to the risk posed by strong wind gusts and an amber severe wind warning, which remains in effect until 6 a.m. on Sunday.”
“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 advising fans to exercise caution with their travel plans. At the time, they anticipated the match would proceed as scheduled, but as conditions deteriorated, postponement became unavoidable. Merseyside remains under an amber weather alert.
Just up the road at Aintree, the racecourse was forced to postpone Saturday’s meet as Storm Darragh caused damage to the track. Across the UK, several sporting events have already fallen victim to the extreme weather. The Welsh FA announced the postponement of all matches in Wales, while Cardiff City’s Championship clash with Watford was also called off. Additionally, Plymouth Argyle confirmed the postponement of their Championship fixture against Oxford United.
A rare red weather warning, indicating a potential danger to life, has been issued for Wales and southwest England. On Saturday morning, Wales recorded a wind gust of 93 mph (150 km/h), and heavy rain is forecast for several areas. Meanwhile, an amber weather warning is in effect for western parts of England and Wales, southwest Scotland, and most of Northern Ireland.
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