The match between Liverpool and Manchester United hangs in the balance after heavy snowfall overnight, with a decision on whether to call it off due to be made before noon.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for Liverpool and Manchester, the same level as prior to the canceled Merseyside derby in December.
Liverpool City Council's Safety Advisory Group held a meeting this morning and will assess later today whether or not the 4.30pm match should be cancelled.
A ground inspection would take place around 9am.
While amber alerts are not as serious as red alerts, they indicate a potential danger to life and significant travel disruption.
Images on social media show a layer of snow covering the ground on the streets around Anfield, with one fan claiming it 'looks like Siberia'.
Liverpool Football Club wrote on X at 9.31am: 'A safety meeting was held this morning to assess the weather and travel conditions for today's match against Manchester United at Anfield.
'At this stage the intention is for the match to continue as normal and every effort is being made to get the match underway. Another safety meeting will take place at 12:00 to review the latest conditions. We will inform supporters as soon as possible. Please be extra careful, Reds.”
The Met Office's north-westerly weather forecast for the day called for 'heavy snow, causing some disruption'.
It said: 'Snow to the north and across the Pennines, which may be heavy in places during the morning and early afternoon. It will rain in the southern areas, with a chance of sleet for some. The snow will decrease tonight. Maximum temperature 2 °C.'
Taggy's Bar, a Liverpool FC-themed outlet near the stadium, wrote on Instagram: 'Snow is around two inches in places. It's raining a little, but very cold rain, so the snow is unlikely to disappear. My money is on hold. Appointment at nine o'clock, I'm told.'
Liverpool City Council gritters have already made several outings in the past 24 hours in a bid to increase road safety for traveling supporters.
The runway at Liverpool John Lennon Airport was temporarily closed due to the conditions on Sunday morning. Roads are also closed in the northwest due to snow and collisions.
Meanwhile, around 80 miles away, Chesterfield's clash with Gillingham at the SMH Group Stadium has been called off following an early morning pitch inspection.
Some Manchester United fans have taken to social media to beg for the match to be called off due to their torrid form, which has seen the odds heavily stacked against them.
'Safety first. That's my motto. Better safe than sorry. That's another one. If there is even the slightest concern about the welfare of a data subject – which clearly is the case – it is best to postpone it. Or even cancel altogether. Share the points. Everyone is happy. And most importantly, everyone is safe,” one prominent United fan wrote on Bluesky.
“To be honest, it looks like Siberia there this morning. People can lose their limbs from frostbite. Stop this madness now.'
“Nullify the competition?” another joked.
“The worst snow we have ever seen, treacherous conditions there, stop it,” wrote fan channel The United Stand on X.
In December, the match between Liverpool and Everton was called off just four hours before kick-off due to the chaos caused by Storm Darragh.
Storm Darragh caused widespread damage across the country with winds of up to 150km per hour, causing travel chaos and damage and leaving thousands of people without power.
Liverpool said the late postponement was due to 'severe weather and high winds, which have also resulted in serious travel disruption in and around Merseyside'.
It is still not clear when the rescheduled Merseyside derby, the last at Goodison Park, will take place.
Arne Slot's side have a game in hand as a result of that postponement, but will be happy to avoid another match as they do not want the games to pile up in 2025.
Liverpool are five points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with two games to go.
Manchester United are now fourteenth in the table and have lost five of their last six league games.
More to follow.
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