Why Does Southampton vs. Tottenham Kick Off So Late on a Sunday? | OneFootball

Southampton hosts Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, Dec. 15, as Ange Postecoglou looks to get his team back on track. The game, though, is kicking off later than usual and fans might not be aware of the exact reason why.

The game begins at 2 p.m. ET (7 p.m. UK) time which is a late kick-off for a Sunday. There are a couple of factors playing into the nighttime start.

First off, this game was originally scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET (3 p.m. UK). But, because Tottenham Hotspur play in the Europa League, playing on Saturdays is prohibited during matchweeks in which Spurs have a UEFA match. So, as such, broadcasters in England had to sort out a suitable time for the team to play avoiding overlap with Sky's Super Sunday which will include the first Manchester derby of the campaign.

Spurs are in rough shape coming out of the last international break of the year back in November. After dismantling a dysfunctional Manchester City on Nov. 23, Postecoglou's team hasn't won a game since. Spurs drew its last two Europa League games, drew with Fulham, lost to Bournemouth and Chelsea.

Facing off against a side that's 20th in the league with just five points through 15 games, Spurs need a victory in the worst way to start building a case for the Champions League places. The gap to Nottingham Forest for Europa League (if the season ended today) is five points, and it's seven to Manchester City in fourth.

Postecoglou brought pressure upon himself earlier in the season when he said he normally wins trophies in his second year at a club. Spurs are still in every competition, but maintaining league form is imperative.