The highly anticipated final league Merseyside derby at Goodison Park between Everton and Liverpool has been postponed due to the extreme weather conditions caused by Storm Darragh.
The powerful storm brought high winds and heavy rain to the west coast of the UK, prompting the early decision to call off the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, 7 December.
A statement on Everton’s official website confirmed: “Everton’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool, scheduled for 12:30pm (GMT) today, has been postponed.
“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.
The statement went on to reassure fans, apologising for the inconvenience caused: “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.”
The match, which was to be Everton’s last Premier League encounter at Goodison Park before their move to a new stadium, was particularly significant as both teams were vying for points, with Liverpool aiming to extend their lead at the top of the table.
In addition to the Merseyside derby, other football fixtures were affected by the severe weather. The League One match between Bristol Rovers and Bolton, along with Crawley’s game against Stevenage, were also called off due to safety concerns. Blackpool’s match against Rotherham was postponed after safety issues were raised at Bloomfield Road on Saturday morning.
In League Two, Notts County’s home game against Colchester was cancelled after high winds caused damage to one of the Meadow Lane scoreboards.
MK Dons’ visit to Barrow was also postponed, as was Cardiff’s Championship clash with Watford and Plymouth’s meeting with Oxford, which had been called off earlier in the week due to the weather warning.
Further cancellations included Saturday’s meetings at Aintree and Chepstow, which were abandoned due to the dangerous conditions, though Sandown passed an initial inspection.
In rugby, Bristol Bears Women’s fixture against Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate was also postponed following a pitch inspection.
Additionally, Ospreys announced their European Challenge Cup tie against Lions would be moved to Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli due to structural damage at Swansea.com Stadium.
Fans and organisers across the country continue to face challenges posed by Storm Darragh, with more matches and events expected to be affected as the storm’s impact persists.
