Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham have called for the FA Cup semi-final clash between Manchester City and Liverpool to be moved to a 'more accessible stadium.'
The game is due to be played at Wembley Stadium on the weekend of 16-17 April, the same time as planned engineering works will mean that no trains will be running from either Manchester or Liverpool to London.
With travel set to be a serious headache for fans of both clubs, the mayors of the north west cities have written a joint letter to the FA.
"When you factor in the rising costs of fuel, it is clear that supporters of both clubs attending this game will face excessive cost and inconvenience - and that is before any environmental impact is considered," it reads.
"There are also significant logistical and safety considerations. With thousands of fans making the long journey south, there will be huge numbers converging on the M6, which is likely to be stretched to capacity by bank holiday traffic.
"A single accident would risk the entire motorway being brought to a standstill and fans missing the kick-off.
"Over the last year, we have heard the slogan 'football without fans is nothing' many times. If this decision is left to stand, and people are either priced out of this game or unable to attend for other reasons, those words will be meaningless to many.
"We believe the most obvious solution is to move the game to a more accessible stadium and offer to work constructively with you to make that happen."
Source : 90min