Manchester United vs Liverpool: Spidercam will make Premier League debut at Old Trafford
Red Devils were given council permission to pilot the gear on Monday and it will now feature heavily during the half-time and post-match analysis segments
PREMIER LEAGUE football will be even more TV-friendly during Sunday’s Manchester United vs Liverpool clash as Sky Sports introduces Spidercam for the first time.
The birds-eye view technology is already used in the Champions League and World Cup but is making it’s debut in the English top flight for this weekend’s grudge match.
A state-of-the-art camera will be suspended above the pitch by four wires attached to each corner of the ground and manoeuvred by an operator to follow the action.
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Old Trafford was given council permission to pilot the gear on Monday and it will now feature heavily during the half-time and post-match analysis segments.
Sky Sports head of football Gary Hughes told the : “A game as big as Manchester United against Liverpool feels like the right time to use it for the first time in a Premier League fixture.
“It is one of the biggest games in world football and the intention is to get the viewer closer to the game, which is what this technology enables.
“It will mostly come into its own at set-pieces, like free-kicks, corners or penalties, when it can go directly above the action and give you the fullest view looking down directly on what is happening.
“I think it will become a big tool in analysis — Jamie Redknapp and Thierry Henry will be using it on Monday Night Football.”
To avoid any chance of the ball hitting the camera, it will be hoisted the height of the stadium for goal-kicks and when the keeper is in possession and a giant kick is expected.