Manchester United fans have reportedly been left angry with the Premier League and broadcasters after their latest decision to hand the club another Sunday 7pm kick-off time slot.
United’s Sunday meeting with Fulham at Craven Cottage unusually kicked off at 7pm.
Typically, the last game on Sunday is a 4.30pm kick-off but this was taken by Aston Villa and West Ham, who played out a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.
Fulham vs. United was picked by TNT Sports as part of their coverage and would normally be played at 12.30pm on Saturday. However, this time slot came too soon for Ruben Amorim’s men following their 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
An alternative of 12.30pm on Sunday was proposed but Premier League clubs prefer at least a 72-hour recovery period between games. Due to this, United agreed to a 7pm kick-off time instead – a decision that proved unpopular within the fanbase due to limited transport options.
According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are now also set to travel to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City on Sunday, March 16 in the latest United match to be placed in the unpopular 7pm slot.
The train timetable for that day has yet to be confirmed but at the moment, there is only one service from Leicester to Manchester post-match.
An individual speaking on behalf of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust said, “Seven o’clock Sunday kick-offs are a nightmare for match-going fans with a few post-match public transport options combined with the spectre of “work in the morning” for most.”
“As ever the needs of broadcasters always seem to be put first, with fans in the ground little more than an afterthought.”
The Football Supporters’ Association also remarked, “There’s no doubt that match-going supporters feel the Premier League and its clubs put television first all too often.”
“We’re not sure if there’s a more stark example of this than Sunday evening games which are really unpopular with match-goers.”
“Public transport options are limited to non-existent while it’s a really difficult kick-off time if you go to the match with young kids.”
Meanwhile, United are back in action on Thursday when they face FCSB at the National Arena in Bucharest.
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
