Why there is no 12:30pm kick-off in the Premier League this Saturday as season approaches business end

Premier League fans will continue to be disturbed by an ever-erratic fixture schedule this weekend with no early kick-off on Saturday. Typically, on a Saturday afternoon, English top-flight action starts at 12:30pm with a game for TV before the 3pm blackout. Haaland had front-row seats to the last early kick-off but it won’t be the same this weekAFP However, that’s not the case this weekend, with fans having to wait until 5:30pm for the first televised match of gameweek 33. Why is there no early kick-off? There will be no early kick-off this Saturday due to there not being a game selected for broadcast – the third of four scheduled blanks. TNT Sports occupies the rights to screen top-flight matches in the 12:30pm slot with Package A. That deal grants TNT access to air 52 Premier League games a season, which are divided by Saturday lunchtime and two rounds of midweek fixtures. This was the case last campaign, too, with a few 12:30pm slots left empty throughout the year. The first blank of this season came in Gameweek 9 in October, following eight straight picks to start the 2024/25 term. Matchday 13 the next month took place without TNT’s presence, with this upcoming weekend being the penultimate full blank. The secondary Premier League broadcaster have just one fixture remaining for broadcast, which will take place on the final gameweek. This means that their fourth blank will be during matchday 37, having already selected fixtures in three of the next four early slots. Sometimes, early kick-offs are rescheduled to a later date and time, mainly due to a chosen club’s European commitments. Which Premier League matches are on TNT? MATCHDATE AND TIMEManchester City v Crystal PalaceSaturday 12 April, 12:30 UK timeChelsea v EvertonSaturday 26 April, 12:30 UK timeAston Villa v FulhamSaturday 3 May, 12:30 UK timeNewcastle v ChelseaSaturday 10 May, 12:30 UK time Man City came from behind to thump Crystal Palace 5-2 in last Saturday’s early gameAFP This is why, at times this season, fans may have been without their Saturday 12:30pm fix despite TNT using their allocated pick. Manchester United‘s 1-0 away win over Fulham in December and Tottenham’s 5-0 romp at Southampton the month prior were both moved to Sunday due to Europa League commitments. Liverpool‘s two meetings with Aston Villa were both chosen by TNT, but each was unable to be staged at 12:30pm for differing reasons. The first, a 2-0 win for the Reds in November, was moved to a late Saturday kick-off due to earlier Champions League commitments. Their 2-2 reunion at Villa Park was squeezed into a packed February after Arne Slot’s men had qualified for the Carabao Cup final. Liverpool curiously have had a third excuse to dodge a 12:30pm game, with Storm Darragh postponing the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park that was rescheduled to the midweek before facing Unai Emery‘s men again. Premier League gameweek 33 fixtures Saturday 19 April Brentford v Brighton – 3pm Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth – 3pm Everton v Man City – 3pm West Ham v Southampton – 3pm Aston Villa v Newcastle – 5:30pm (Sky Sports) Sunday 20 April Fulham v Chelsea – 2pm Ipswich Town v Arsenal – 2pm (Sky Sports) Man Utd v Wolves – 2pm Leicester City v Liverpool – 4:30pm (Sky Sports) Monday 21 April Spurs v Nottingham Forest – 8pm (talkSPORT EXCLUSIVE/ Sky Sports)

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Premier League fans will continue to be disturbed by an ever-erratic fixture schedule this weekend with no early kick-off on Saturday.

Typically, on a Saturday afternoon, English top-flight action starts at 12:30pm with a game for TV before the 3pm blackout.

However, that’s not the case this weekend, with fans having to wait until 5:30pm for the first televised match of gameweek 33.

There will be no early kick-off this Saturday due to there not being a game selected for broadcast – the third of four scheduled blanks.

TNT Sports occupies the rights to screen top-flight matches in the 12:30pm slot with Package A.

That deal grants TNT access to air 52 Premier League games a season, which are divided by Saturday lunchtime and two rounds of midweek fixtures.

This was the case last campaign, too, with a few 12:30pm slots left empty throughout the year.

The first blank of this season came in Gameweek 9 in October, following eight straight picks to start the 2024/25 term.

Matchday 13 the next month took place without TNT’s presence, with this upcoming weekend being the penultimate full blank.

The secondary Premier League broadcaster have just one fixture remaining for broadcast, which will take place on the final gameweek.

This means that their fourth blank will be during matchday 37, having already selected fixtures in three of the next four early slots.

MATCH	DATE AND TIME
Manchester City v Crystal Palace	Saturday 12 April, 12:30 UK time
Chelsea v Everton	Saturday 26 April, 12:30 UK time
Aston Villa v Fulham	Saturday 3 May, 12:30 UK time
Newcastle v Chelsea	Saturday 10 May, 12:30 UK time

This is why, at times this season, fans may have been without their Saturday 12:30pm fix despite TNT using their allocated pick.

Manchester United‘s 1-0 away win over Fulham in December and Tottenham’s 5-0 romp at Southampton the month prior were both moved to Sunday due to Europa League commitments.

Liverpool‘s two meetings with Aston Villa were both chosen by TNT, but each was unable to be staged at 12:30pm for differing reasons.

The first, a 2-0 win for the Reds in November, was moved to a late Saturday kick-off due to earlier Champions League commitments.

Their 2-2 reunion at Villa Park was squeezed into a packed February after Arne Slot’s men had qualified for the Carabao Cup final.

Liverpool curiously have had a third excuse to dodge a 12:30pm game, with Storm Darragh postponing the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park that was rescheduled to the midweek before facing Unai Emery‘s men again.

Saturday 19 April

Sunday 20 April

Monday 21 April