THE FA Cup semi-final kick-off times have been revealed following a Metropolitan Police intervention.
Manchester United’s clash with Coventry has been brought forward to 3.30pm on Sunday, April 21.
That’s because the Metropolitan Police deemed it to be a high-risk fixture.
The FA initially requested a 4pm kick-off, but it was brought forward by 30 minutes after the police expressed public order concerns.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s match against Chelsea will start at 5.15pm on Saturday, April 20.
According to the Daily Mail, the decision is expected to be confirmed at a local Safety Advisory Group meeting later on Friday.
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Historically, governing bodies and broadcasters have been left frustrated by disagreements over kick-off times between the Met and The FA.
Later kick-off times tend to attract bigger audiences and, for the likes of ITV and Sky Sports, more advertising revenue.
It has therefore become the norm in recent years to schedule important games, such as FA Cup semi-finals, for the evening.
Many games involving Man Utd tend to be considered as “high-risk”, which is beginning to frustrate the EFL and FA, sources claim.
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Last month’s Carabao Cup final had to be brought forward to 3pm due to safety concerns.
The same thing happened ahead of last season’s FA Cup final between Man Utd and Man City.
And it is believed it could also happen again when the final takes place on May 25.
The scheduling means Man City play at Wembley three days after their Champions League quarter-final second leg meeting with Real Madrid.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
