Why is Man City vs Man Utd kicking off at 3:30pm instead of 4:30pm?

MANCHESTER giants United and City are ready to battle once again in a Premier League blockbuster – but there has been a bizarre change in the kick-off time.

The Red Devils will be determined to bounce back from their crushing stoppage-time defeat against Fulham last weekend.

PAManchester United lost to Fulham in their last Premier League match[/caption]

While United’s noisy neighbours City are hoping to keep up the pressure on league leaders Liverpool by keeping their 11-game undefeated streak alive.

However, the players have been forced to prepare for a slightly changed kick-off time of 3:30pm instead of 4:30pm.

And SunSport can explain the reason for this.

Why is Man City vs Man Utd kicking off at 3:30pm?

The mouthwatering Manchester derby has been moved from 4:30pm to 3:30pm following a reported agreement between broadcasters and police.

It also means that the earlier clash which sees Bournemouth travel to Burnley will now get underway at 1pm instead of 2pm.

Both games will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK.

When is Man City vs Man Utd?

Manchester City vs Manchester United will take place on Sunday, March 3.

Etihad is the allocated arena for this huge match and it can host around 53,400 passionate fans.

Pep Guardiola’s men thrashed United 3-0 when the sides met earlier this season.

Fans can follow SunSport’s live blog for minute-by-minute coverage.

Have any matches been played at 3:30pm before?

The reverse fixture which saw Manchester City travel to Manchester United on October 28, 2023, was also contested with a kick-off time at 3:30pm.

A statement on United’s official website previously read:

The derby with Manchester City will be staged towards the end of the month, with the Old Trafford encounter being moved to 29 October, kicking off at 15:30 GMT.

“The fixture, which we won 2-1 last season with Marcus Rashford netting a memorable winner, is to be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK.

“The unusual start time was agreed following consultation between the clubs, the broadcaster and local authorities.”