New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot joked TNT Sports selected the Reds’ opening match of the new season at Ipswich for a lunchtime kick-off because Jurgen Klopp was no longer in charge.
Klopp was a constant critic of Saturday 12.30 starts, especially after midweek games and international breaks, and in one of his final press conferences last month said they were “a crime”.
But while the man in the top job at Anfield has changed, things have stayed the same with an early start at Portman Road on August 17.
Arne Slot is looking forward to the challenge of the new Premier League campaign, though his full focus is currently set on the hard work required before it starts 💪
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 20, 2024
“They’ve told me it’s going to be 12.30… from what I know, Jurgen complained a lot about this so probably they thought, with Jurgen being out let’s put them at 12.30 again,” he told the club’s website.
“It’s different to a normal 12.30 because it’s not after a game in Europe. Looking forward to it. A promoted team so it’s going to be special for them as well.
“I think every team might prefer a home game to start with, but we’re going to face Ipswich and we are looking forward to that.
"I was waiting for Amnesty International to go to them" 😬
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the fixture scheduling is "a crime" 👇 pic.twitter.com/jS22y2eCuj
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 3, 2024
In Klopp’s eight-and-a-half-year reign at Anfield almost 14 per cent of their fixtures were at Saturday lunchtime, comfortably more than any other Premier League team.
Last season they had six – Manchester City and Manchester United had three apiece.