Harry Diamond
The Premier League has confirmed the revised fixture list and TV schedule ahead of the division’s restart later this month, with Aston Villa’s clash against Sheffield United kicking the action off at 6pm on June 17.
That clash – alongside Manchester City vs Arsenal at 8pm – are the two games in hand and will be the first fixtures played in midweek, before a full round of top-flight fixtures the following weekend to begin what will be a feast of live football.
Amongst the notable fixtures of the first weekend include a Friday night clash between Tottenham and Manchester United, before a hugely anticipated Merseyside derby on Sunday that could see league leaders Liverpool crowned as champions for the first time in three decades, but only if City fail to win their midweek tie against the Gunners.
Broadcasters have also been confirmed for the first three match rounds with games largely divided between Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime, though Bournemouth’s clash with Crystal Palace on June 20 will be the first-ever Premier League fixture to be shown on the BBC.
Full PL fixtures to 2 July confirmed pic.twitter.com/pCAbJa69yM
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) June 5, 2020
The decision to move some fixtures to free-to-air channels comes as part of the Government’s demand for allowing professional sport to resume this month.
Saturday June 20 will also prove to be a landmark moment, with BT Sport’s coverage of Brighton’s game against Arsenal set to be the first Saturday 3pm kick-off to be shown live on British television.
Several venues are still yet to be confirmed including the aforementioned Merseyside derby and Manchester City’s clash against Liverpool on July 2, though Manchester United’s fixture with Sheffield United – amongst those classed as high-risk – looks set to go ahead at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, the weekend of June 27/28 will see the FA Cup quarter finals taking place, meaning there will be live football every day between June 17 and July 2, with the only exceptions being June 18 and June 26.
Bring it on!
Read: ‘Growing belief’ some fans can return to football grounds in September
See Also: What the football fixture schedule will look like in England, Italy and Spain