Liverpool have announced plans to partially open the upper tier of the new Anfield Road stand when Manchester United visit on 17 December.
The £80m project has been beset by problems and the upper tier had not been expected to open until 2024 after the main contractor, Buckingham Group, went into administration.
However, Buckingham’s replacement, Rayner Rowen Construction, are ahead of schedule and Liverpool hope to finally allow fans into the upper tier when United visit Anfield next month.
Approximately half of the upper tier is expected to open on 17 December, subject to Liverpool acquiring a safety licence. A public test event requiring 3,000 people will take place the week before and its success will determine whether Liverpool city council grant the licence.
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The new stand will not be fully operational until next year and, safety licence permitting, the upper tier will remain partially open for West Ham’s visit in the Carabao Cup on 20 December plus the Premier League home games against Arsenal and Newcastle. Upper tier tickets for these games will be general admission, although Liverpool intend to prioritise supporters who had tickets cancelled earlier this season.