Premier League officials in Man United vs Sunderland discussions after latest Storm Amy update
Sunderland and Manchester United are due to face each other at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The clash between the two sides is poised to be an intriguing one, given the severe pressure on Man United boss Ruben Amorim.
However, there is a risk that the encounter between the sides could be threatened by Storm Amy, which is set to batter the North West of England.
Now, it seems that the Premier League are in conversation ahead of the 3pm kick-off on Saturday,
Premier League have deadline to call off Man United vs Sunderland
Storm Amy will affect Sunderland’s clash with Man United as a yellow weather warning has been put in place by the Met Office for Greater Manchester.
There is expected to be rain showers throughout the day, while wind gusts are expected to reach 47mph around kick-off.
Now, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Mackem News, has provided insight on a potential postponement, which is still looking unlikely at this point unless the conditions deteriorate.
“This is a real tricky one for those people having to consider the consequences of either postponing or agreeing to the game going ahead,” Hackett said.
“It is not just a football match; each Premier League game is a massive event. There are many considerations that have to be taken into account.
“The travelling supporters, taking into account not just Sunderland fans but also those Manchester United fans who travel to the game from overseas.
“The first consideration is to determine at what time we have to call off the game to avoid fans’ unnecessary travel. That may be around 6am Saturday morning.“
Club and Premier League officials already in conversation
Chris Sutton has backed Sunderland to claim a 1-0 victory in a rare score prediction from the former Celtic player.
However, with the match set to take place at Old Trafford, there is perhaps greater emphasis on officials to take care when considering whether the match should go ahead.
“Premier League and club organisers will have already been in discussion, looking carefully at the weather and carrying out a risk assessment,” Hackett continued.
“The match officials will be at a local hotel, usually near Manchester Airport, on Friday night and prepared to attend early Saturday morning.
“One of the main risks, of course, is that Old Trafford is an ageing stadium and the club will also have to take into account any potential wind damage, etc.
“If there are prolonged storms, what impact will this have on the playing surface? It’s only a game, but you can see that when the referee blows his whistle to start the game that there has been a great amount of input to get the game on. That is replicated across the country.”
Several factors must be considered before Man United vs Sunderland decision
Regis Le Bris could rotate his Sunderland side for the trip to Old Trafford, but he is a man who usually makes minimal changes.
While he may have a plan in mind, that could all count for nothing if the match doesn’t go ahead.
Hackett has experienced an abundance of Premier League games and shared the preparations that go into such an occasion.
“A great deal of food is purchased for consumption on the day from restaurants to kiosks, etc.
The cost of cancelling late can incur a large cost for food waste, and of course, staff fees, etc,” he added.
“What pressures will the police and other services be put under with a late cancellation?
“The management of a large number of disappointed fans coming out of a stadium if the game is abandoned puts huge stress on public transport, and of course, traffic management around the stadium.
“The preparation for the game, the television companies will have already started that process.
On-site cables, TV cameras, etc.“
Now, all eyes will be on the Premier League to see if an announcement is made ahead of the highly anticipated duel.
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