**Manchester United Face West Ham United Amid Broadcasting Blackout – How Fans Can Follow the Action**
Manchester United return to Premier League duty this Sunday as they welcome West Ham United to Old Trafford, yet supporters hoping to catch the action live on television will be left disappointed. Despite the significance of the fixture for both teams, this match has not been selected for live broadcast in the UK, spotlighting ongoing frustrations about football coverage access for fans at home.
The Red Devils are enduring a challenging season domestically, sitting 15th in the Premier League table after a turbulent campaign. The arrival of Ruben Amorim as manager—who succeeded Erik ten Hag midway through the season—has offered some degree of hope, particularly with United’s impressive resurgence in European competition. Most notably, Manchester United recently secured their spot in the Europa League final after a commanding 7–1 aggregate victory over Athletic Club, setting up an enticing final against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao in the coming fortnight.
Meanwhile, West Ham United, currently positioned 17th in the league, find themselves in a campaign characterised by struggle and transition. Although Graham Potter’s side are technically still above the relegation zone, their safety was assured some time ago, rendering the remaining matches little more than matters of pride for players and supporters alike.
The Premier League clash at Old Trafford kicks off at 2:15pm (BST) on Sunday, 11 May 2025. However, due to current UK broadcasting arrangements, the encounter will not be available to watch live on television. Instead, Sky Sports has opted to televise other fixtures in the same time slot, including the east Midlands derby between Nottingham Forest and Leicester City, as well as high-stakes meetings between Newcastle United and Chelsea earlier in the day, and Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal later in the afternoon.
This broadcast omission underlines a wider debate about accessibility of Premier League matches for UK fans, with many games still restricted by longstanding television agreements. Intriguingly, this is set for a substantial change from the 2025/26 season onwards, following the Premier League’s announcement of a revised TV deal that will permit all non-Saturday 3pm fixtures to be shown live in the UK—ushering in a new era for football broadcasting.
For now, however, supporters without tickets must explore alternative avenues to keep abreast of the action. Those based outside the UK can check local listings, as international rights holders frequently provide comprehensive coverage. In the United States, for instance, NBCUniversal possess exclusive rights to screen all 380 Premier League matches this season, making it readily accessible to American audiences.
Domestically, British fans will have to rely on post-match coverage for now. Sky Sports historically publishes extended match highlights on their YouTube channel approximately 20 minutes after the final whistle, a service popular with fans unable to be at the match. Additionally, “Match of the Day 2” on BBC One airs at 10:30pm on Sunday, presenting a round-up of the weekend’s action—with extended highlights and analysis of the Old Trafford showdown available both on television and BBC iPlayer.
Further to this, Sky Sports will provide a 30-minute extended highlights programme later on Sunday evening, catering to supporters eager for a detailed recap. Such arrangements are now standard for matches not broadcast live, and serve as valuable—if imperfect—stand-ins for full coverage.
With both teams languishing near the lower end of the table and little remaining to play for in terms of league positions, pride and momentum are on the line in what is expected to be a competitive fixture. United will aim to harness recent European success to bolster their domestic fortunes, while West Ham look to end a difficult season on a positive note.
For fans left frustrated by ongoing broadcast limits, the forthcoming changes in television rights offer hope for greater access and coverage. In the meantime, supporters must make the best of available highlight shows and online updates to follow their teams’ fortunes.