ESPN LIVE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES FOR MARCH
– Both Merseyside clubs set to feature alongside Manchester United
– Live matches add to line-up of British and European football
ESPN has unveiled the Barclays Premier League fixtures that it will broadcast exclusively live in March. Current league leaders Manchester United, as well as both Merseyside clubs Liverpool and Everton, are set to feature. The new games join a host of live football on ESPN during the coming months, including the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Rounds of the FA Cup, the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, plus Rangers matches from the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League. In addition to top British football, ESPN will bring fans televised coverage of European leagues including Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A, France’s Ligue 1, and the UEFA Europa League.
Saturday 2nd March will see relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic host Liverpool at the DW Stadium. Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was heavily linked with the Anfield job last summer before Brendan Rodgers was confirmed in the post. Having found consistency of late, Liverpool have their sights set on the UEFA Champions League places, but have an indifferent record against Wigan.
ESPN’s second game in March features Manchester United and Reading at Old Trafford, with both teams having shared seven goals when these teams met in early December. Currently top of the Barclays Premier League table, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will be strong favourites against Reading, as the Royals continue their fight to climb away from the relegation zone.
The final live Barclays Premier League match this month on ESPN sees Stoke City travel north to Everton on Saturday 30th March. The Potters remain one of the hardest teams to beat in the top flight and continue to challenge for the European places next season. After an impressive first half of the season, Everton are just outside of the top four and will be keen to improve on their 1-1 draw at the Britannia as they chase a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.
Simon Potter, head of programming and production, ESPN, EMEA, said: “This is another great set of games to add to our schedule as the Barclays Premier League approaches the business end of the season. ESPN’s last three live Premier League games have produced a total of 21 goals, so we’re looking forward to bringing fans more compelling action from the title race, the challenge for European places and the battle against relegation.”
The newly announced fixtures will be part of a wide range of top European football coming up on ESPN. The line-up includes Newcastle and Chelsea’s first games in the UEFA Europa League Round of 32, England Under 21s in action against Sweden, regular weekly games from Serie A, such as the Milan derby, as well as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, Bundesliga and Eredivisie, and the next rounds of the FA Cup.
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January
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 19th West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa 4:30pm
FA Cup – Fourth Round
Saturday 26th Manchester United v Fulham 4:30pm
Sunday 27th Brentford v Chelsea 11:00am
Sunday 27th Leeds v Tottenham Hotspur 2:00pm
Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Sunday 20th Motherwell v St. Johnstone 2.15pm
Wednesday 30th St. Johnstone v Aberdeen 7:00pm
Irn-Bru Scottish Football League
Sunday 20th Peterhead v Rangers 11:30am
*Live European league fixtures to be confirmed shortly
February
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2nd Fulham v Manchester United 4:30pm
Saturday 9th Southampton v Manchester City 4:30pm
FA Cup – Fourth Round Replay
Tuesday 12th Fixture TBC 7:15pm
FA Cup – Fifth Round
Friday 15th Fixture TBC 7:00pm
Saturday 16th Fixture TBC 12:00pm
Sunday 17th Fixture TBC 3:15pm
FA Cup – Fifth Round Replay
Wednesday 27th Fixture TBC 7:00pm
Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Saturday 9th Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic 11:15pm
Sunday 24th Dundee United v Hibernian 4:15pm
Irn-Bru Scottish Football League
Saturday 23rd Berwick Rangers v Rangers 11:30am
UEFA Europa League – Round of 32
Thursday 14th Sparta Prague v Chelsea 5:30pm
Thursday 14th Newcastle United v Metalist Kharkiv 8:00pm
Thursday 21st Fixture TBC 5:30pm
Thursday 21st Fixture TBC 8:00pm
March
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2nd Wigan v Liverpool 4:30pm
Saturday 16th Man Utd v Reading 4:30pm
Saturday 30th Everton v Stoke City 4:30pm
*Live European league fixtures to be confirmed shortly
MULTI-PLAFORM FOOTBALL COVERAGE ON ESPN DIGITAL MEDIA
ESPN’s televised football coverage is complemented by news and analysis via ESPN.co.uk and ESPNFC, the sports media company’s multi-language and multi-country service for football fans that showcases ESPN’s commitment to covering global football. ESPNFC covers all the major leagues and competitions globally – online and on mobile, as well as through selected TV programmes, via a single brand.
ESPNFC Press Pass, the football discussion show that looks daily at the game with a global perspective features panelists and contributors from around the world of football – including Shaka Hislop, Robbie Mustoe, Frank LeBoeuf, Jorge Ramos, Gabriele Marcotti and more.
ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of the Barclays Premier League this season includes ESPN Goals, the mobile app that hosts ESPN’s exclusive mobile highlights rights to all 380 Barclays Premier League matches. ESPN Goals delivers every single goal to mobile devices within minutes of the action – for free.