Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United hangs in the balance after heavy overnight snow, with a decision to be made on whether to call it off scheduled for midday.
An amber weather warning has been issued for Liverpool and Manchester by the Met Office, the same level that was released ahead of the cancelled Merseyside derby in December.
Liverpool City council’s Safety Advisory Group held a meeting this morning and will judge whether or not to call off the 4.30pm match later today.
Amber warnings, while not as serious as red ones, indicate a possible risk to life and significant travel disruption.
Images on social media show a layer of snow blanketing the ground on the streets around Anfield, with one fan claiming it looks ‘like Siberia’.
Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United at Anfield could be called off due to the snow, with final decision to be made at 11.45am
The streets around Anfield have been pictured covered in a layer of snow ahead of the clash
c
The Liverpool vs Man Utd game today might be postponed!! pic.twitter.com/TYOGdlvUIO
— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) January 5, 2025
Liverpool City council’s Safety Advisory Group are holding a meeting and will judge whether the game should be called off – with pictures near Anfield showing snowfall
Liverpool wrote on X at 9.31am: ‘A safety meeting was held this morning to assess the weather and travel conditions for today’s fixture against Manchester United at Anfield.
‘At this stage the match is planned to go ahead as normal and every effort is being made to get the game on. A further safety meeting will take place again at midday to assess the latest conditions. We will update supporters just as soon as we can. Please take extra care out there, Reds.’
The Met Office’s north west weather forecast for the day was headlined ‘heavy snow, leading to some disruption’.
It read: ‘Snow in the north and across the Pennines, which may be heavy in places through the morning and early afternoon. Turning to rain in southern areas with a risk of freezing rain for some. Snow will ease into this evening. Maximum temperature 2 °C.’
Taggy’s Bar, a Liverpool FC-themed outlet by the stadium, wrote on Instagram: ‘Snow is about two inches some places. It rains a little, but very cold rain so won’t take snow away most likely. My money is on postponement. Meeting at 9 I’ve been told.’
Liverpool City Council gritters have already made several outings in the last 24 hours in a bid to shore up the safety of the roads for travelling supporters.
On Sunday morning, the runway at Liverpool John Lennon Airport was temporarily closed due to the conditions. Roads in the north west have also been closed due to the snow and collisions.
Meanwhile, around 80 miles down the road, Chesterfield’s clash with Gillingham at the SMH Group Stadium, has been called off after an early morning pitch inspection.
Worst snow we’ve ever seen, treacherous conditions right there, call it off 🙏pic.twitter.com/LJ64oFLSsq
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) January 5, 2025
🚨 The weather situation in Liverpool city centre at 8:30am. There is snow but it looks to have stopped for now. pic.twitter.com/ut8zbx28Cx
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) January 5, 2025
A pitch inspection is taking place after heavy snow overnight left Liverpool looking like ‘Siberia’.
Some Manchester United fans have been begging for the fixture to be called off on social media due to their torrid form leaving the odds heavily stacked against them.
‘Safety first. That’s my motto. Better safe than sorry. That’s another. If there’s the slightest concern about the wellbeing of anyone involved – which there clearly is – best to postpone. Or even cancel altogether. Share the points. Everyone’s happy. And most importantly everyone is safe,’ a prominent United fan wrote on Bluesky.
‘Honestly, it’s like Siberia out there this morning. People could lose their extremities to frostbite. Stop this madness now.’
‘Null and void the league?’ another joked.
‘Worst snow we’ve ever seen, treacherous conditions right there, call it off,’ wrote fan channel The United Stand on X.
In December, Liverpool’s clash with Everton was called off just four hours ahead of kick-off because of chaos caused by Storm Darragh.
Storm Darragh wreaked havoc across the country with winds of up to 92mph causing travel chaos, damage and leaving thousands without power.
Liverpool said the late postponement was due to ‘severe weather and high winds, which have also resulted in severe travel disruption in and around Merseyside’.
mail online
