After much speculation, it looks as though Arsenal’s home game with Liverpool will NOT be played on Christmas Eve.

According to the Mirror, the Premier League, following a backlash by fans, have abandoned the idea to push the game back 24 hours. Instead, the match, which was originally scheduled for 3pm on 23 December, will be an evening kick-off on Friday 22 December.

The decision will come as a relief to fans planning to watch the game at the Emirates and for those fans in far-flung parts of the world that may have had to tune in on Christmas day itself.

Arsenal hinted that stewarding issues could cause problems, while Liverpool argued that their fans would struggle to get home from London.