'The Premier League puts broadcasters first' - Anger as Man Utd fixture is moved to unusual 'contingency' kick-off time

Manchester United's game at Fulham had been due to kick off at noon but will now start at 7pm in a move which has sparked anger, as reported by The Times. The Red Devils asked for the kick-off time to be changed as they wanted "more time for player recovery" with the match coming after a Europa League fixture against Rangers three days previously. As both the 2pm and 4.30pm slots had already been snapped by broadcaster Sky Sports, the 7pm 'contingency' slot on Sunday was the only alternative.

Fans have complained about the move as the late kick-off time on Sunday is seen as unsuitable for young families, while public transport options are reduced. Fixture scheduling has become more complicated this season with both the Champions League and Europa League having been expanded, meaning more games and travelling for the teams involved.

The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) said in a statement: "The Sunday evening kick-off slot is really unpopular with match-goers as public transport options are limited and it’s no good for families with young kids. When the general slot was announced the Premier League told us it was a ‘contingency’ — but it seems to be getting used an awful lot for such a provision. A big part of the problem is allowing broadcasters to choose ‘conditional’ picks which are then moved when a team progresses in Europe. The Premier League puts broadcasters first by allowing them to select such games knowing full well conditional picks are very likely to be rescheduled again.”

The 'contingency' slot will be used this weekend as Chelsea take on Brentford and Tottenham will face Southampton at 7pm on Sunday. However, the Premier League has no plans to make the time slot a regular fixture in the schedule at present.

United, Chelsea and Tottenham all face away European trips before the next set of Premier League fixtures. The Red Devils are in the Czech Republic to take on Viktoria Plzen, Spurs travel to Glasgow for a clash with Rangers, while Chelsea face a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan to face Astana.