A bombshell discovery within the Premier League's official handbook could hand Liverpool a crucial and unexpected advantage over their city rivals Everton in the final stages of the season. An exclusive analysis of the regulations has uncovered a clause that may dictate the scheduling of the highly-anticipated Merseyside derby, with significant implications for the relegation scrap.
The Fixture Conundrum
With Everton's original home game against Liverpool postponed due to their FA Cup commitments, a scheduling nightmare has emerged. The Premier League's congested calendar offers very few available slots to reschedule this massive fixture, creating a potential headache for league officials.
The Secret Rule That Changes Everything
Buried deep in the league's regulations lies Rule L.17, a provision that could prove decisive. This rule grants the Premier League Board the ultimate authority to reschedule matches as they see fit, prioritising the broader interests of the competition. Crucially, this power could be used to schedule the derby at a time that inadvertently benefits one side over the other.
Why This Favours Liverpool
The potential advantage for Liverpool stems from the timing. If the fixture is pushed towards the very end of the season, Everton could be facing a must-win game under immense pressure to avoid the drop. Liverpool, likely secure in their own league position by that point, could face a Toffees side burdened by the weight of expectation, a classic scenario where the team fighting for survival sometimes holds the psychological edge, but also faces immense strain.
A Relegation Battle on a Knife-Edge
This fixture rule twist adds another layer of drama to a nail-biting relegation battle. Everton, along with other clubs like Nottingham Forest and Luton Town, are separated by mere points. The outcome of the Merseyside derby could now be influenced not just by on-pitch performance, but by the interpretation of an obscure regulation.
The football world will be watching closely as the Premier League makes its decision. This revelation proves that in the modern game, the battle isn't always won on the pitch—sometimes, it's decided by the small print.
