Photo by wkocjan
Today is probably the first day in Premier League history where we have so many early kick-offs happening at the same time on a Saturday. It’s quite common to have one or two early kick-offs around Christmas or a bank holiday, but today we have four matches all kicking off at 7:45am ET/12:45pm BST featuring:
- Blackburn vs Manchester United,
- Blackpool vs Bolton,
- Sunderland vs Wolves,
- West Brom vs Everton.
The shame is that all four games are being played at the same time. I could easily watch each one independently and enjoy one at a time. If you live in the United States, be forewarned that ESPN2’s coverage of Blackburn against Manchester United will mention several spoilers during the match commentary as they update you on the scores from the other three matches being played simultaneously. You may prefer that or not, but I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it if you planned on watching the other games later on delay. Or if you wanted to watch the Blackpool against Bolton game first, instead.
Following the Premier League matches, the FA Cup Final will kick-off live from Wembley. I’m really looking forward to this match as we can see two teams who are rich in history and who are eager to bring home a piece of silverware. Many people have complained that having the FA Cup Final at this stage of the season dilutes the importance of the game. But I believe the opposite is true. Having it today just adds to the excitement level of the season and builds up to the crescendo of next week’s final day of the Premier League season. Oftentimes I feel that once the regular season is over, some fans drop out and start getting into summer mode. And then the FA Cup Final loses its oomph. But not today.
Best of luck to Manchester City and Stoke City. Let’s hope it’s a classic FA Cup Final to remember for years to come.
And best of luck to the other Premier League teams playing in the league today. Can Man United mathematically win the title? Will Blackpool get three points to avoid relegation? Can Wolves get three crucial away points? And can West Brom finish above Aston Villa? Find out these answers and more today.
Before, during or after any of the matches today, use the comments thread below to post your rants, raves, questions or observations. We’ve only got 180 minutes of Premier League football remaining for most teams, so let’s make the most of it!
