Why there is no TNT Sports Saturday lunchtime kick-off in the Premier League next weekend

The final international break of 2024 is over and we are into a full-on schedule of fixtures heading into the festive period. It is always an extremely busy time of year and this year is no different.

Arsenal and Tottenham have double gameweeks between now and the end of the calendar year, with Chelsea only missing out on one midweek due to not being in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

That means it's weekend and midweek fixtures between now and the end of the year with all three teams in European action - Arsenal in the Champions League, Spurs in the Europa League and Chelsea in the Conference League.

READ MORE: He's one of the best I've played with - one day he could return to Arsenal

READ MORE: Forgotten Arsenal star gets Arsenal lifeline as Mikel Arteta makes major Champions League decision

But with a packed schedule, you would expect all fixture slots to be full. However, that is not the case looking at this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

Eagle-eyed viewers will spot that there is no 12.30pm lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, which is usually the TNT Sports' slot for broadcast coverage.

TNT's deal gives them 52 Premier League matches in the season, which are divided by Saturday lunchtime and two rounds of midweek fixtures.

That means that over the course of the season there are four blank gameweeks at 12.30pm on Saturday and one of those is this weekend. It is the second time so far this season that this has happened, with it also happening on the weekend of October 26.

Arsenal make the short trip to the London Stadium to take on West Ham in the Saturday evening kick-off live on Sky Sports. Tottenham host Fulham on Sunday at 1.30pm - not on TV, with Chelsea playing host to Aston Villa in the 1.30pm Sky Sports clash on Sunday.