Everton vs Liverpool called off as Storm Darragh batters Merseyside

The Merseyside derby has been called off.

The match, due to kick-off at Goodison Park at 12.30pm, has been postponed over concerns about the severe weather battering Liverpool today.

The arrival of Storm Darragh brought with it an amber weather warning from the Met Office, with the forecaster predicting Merseyside could be hit by gusts reaching up to 70mph in inland areas.

READ MORE: Everton vs Liverpool LIVE - Storm Darragh updates, team news, TV channel, kick-off time, score

The anticipated conditions led to safety warnings, with Merseyside Police advising against non-essential travel during the worst of the weather, which was expected to peak around the time of the match.

Strong winds arrived as predicted on Saturday morning, leading to a swathe of events being called off and travel disruption, including across Merseyrail services in Liverpool and on Wirral.

Several high-profile events across the region fell victim to the conditions, with Saturday visits to the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Prince of Wales, currently docked in the city, cancelled on Friday night - as Merseyside Police urged against non-essential travel.

A 7am inspection led to the Becher Chase Day at Aintree Racecourse being abandoned after high winds damaged track infrastructure and with concerns over safety for racegoers as the conditions worsened.

Conversations continued between Everton and the relevant authorities on Saturday morning, with the safety of supporters travelling to, and in and around Goodison, leading to the call to postpone being made.

The move means the final Goodison derby - in the league at least - is likely to rearranged for a night game.