The Premier League’s April broadcast picks are now confirmed, with several headline clashes selected for live UK coverage across Sky Sports and TNT Sports. The most significant fixture of the month sees Liverpool host Chelsea in an early Saturday slot on TNT Sports in Matchweek 36, a game that carries significant implications for the Champions League qualification race below the top two.
Arsenal’s fixtures have seen notable changes throughout April. Their home game against Bournemouth on April 11 was moved to a 12:30pm Saturday kick-off on TNT Sports, though that game could be switched again if Arsenal are involved in European football the preceding Wednesday. The top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City on April 19 has been moved to a Sunday 4:30pm slot on Sky Sports, making it one of the marquee televised games of the month.
The Arsenal vs Newcastle fixture on April 25, which could prove decisive in determining Champions League places, has been set for a 5:30pm Saturday broadcast on Sky Sports. That fixture remains subject to change given the FA Cup semi-final weekend falls on the same dates, and both clubs are still involved in the competition.
The scheduling decisions reflect the extraordinary congestion that always characterises the final weeks of an English football season. Broadcasters select the games they believe will attract the largest audiences, which inevitably tends to favour the clubs competing at both ends of the table. This month, the relegation battle provides as much drama as the title race, with Tottenham’s survival fight under new manager Roberto De Zerbi likely to generate considerable viewer interest regardless of which slot their games fall into.
The absence of Manchester United from live UK coverage for their Sunderland trip is an anomaly that underlines how consistently they have featured in prime broadcast slots. United’s commercial appeal to broadcasters remains enormous even in a season where they are not competing for the title. Their return to live coverage will presumably follow quickly, particularly if the Chelsea away game on April 18 maintains its current scheduling.
