Crystal Palace’s highly anticipated fixture against Manchester United will unfold on Sunday at 12pm GMT at Selhurst Park, following adjustments made due to television selections. Initially slated for a 12:30pm kickoff on Saturday, this fixture was rescheduled after Crystal Palace’s upcoming European outing to Strasbourg on Thursday night.
The decision to move the match to Sunday allows for adequate recovery for Palace, who will have just returned from their trip to France. This change also has downstream effects on the scheduling of other Premier League matches, with those slated for 2pm on Sunday now set to commence at 2:05pm. This staggered approach is designed to mitigate any overlap between the conclusion of the Palace-United clash and the start of the additional mid-afternoon fixtures.
The Premier League strives to maintain a fair scheduling system that prevents teams from facing the challenge of playing two matches within 60 hours of each other. In this instance, Crystal Palace’s showdown with Manchester United kicks off 64 hours after their midweek fixture in Strasbourg, thereby aligning with league guidelines. Following their match against United, Palace will face Burnley on Wednesday, while Manchester United’s next game falls on Thursday at home against West Ham.
With multiple matches lined up in the days preceding this anticipated Sunday encounter, fixture adjustments remain necessary to ensure teams can adequately prepare and recover between games. Fans and pundits alike will be keen to see how this rescheduling impacts both clubs as they navigate a busy period in the season.
