Liverpool target new fixture for first capacity crowd following Anfield Road work

Liverpool are hoping to have a 61,000-capacity crowd for the Merseyside derby with Everton next month.

Redevelopment work on the Anfield Road Stand was halted ahead of the 2023/24 season when contractors, the Buckingham Group, went into administration.

As a result, the Reds first home games of the new campaign have suffered reduced attendances, due to a partial closure of the stand, while the completion of the £80m project has been delayed.

However, the Times now report that Liverpool are aiming for the visit of Everton on Saturday, 21 October as the first fixture when both the top and lower tiers of the Anfield Road Stand will be open to supporters, bringing the stadium capacity up to 61,000.

Once at full operational attendance, Anfield will be the fourth-biggest ground in the Premier League, behind only Old Trafford, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and London Stadium.

Following the Buckingham Group's financial issues, Rayner Rowen Construction, along with a number of other contractors, were appointed at the start of the month to complete the final stages of the expansion work.

Having a reduced capacity Anfield has seemingly not affected the Liverpool players so far in 2023/24, with Jurgen Klopp's side winning both of their home fixtures (vs Bournemouth and Aston Villa) to date.

The Reds have one more home Premier League fixture scheduled before the visit of Everton in October, with West Ham coming to Anfield this Sunday.

Prior to the scheduled re-opening of the Anfield Road Stand, Liverpool also face home ties against Leicester (27 September) in the EFL Cup and Union Saint-Gilloise (5 October) in the Europa League.