EPL fans slam BBC for not broadcasting Match of the Day after bank holiday epic

  /  autty

Premier League fans were left baffled on Monday night after discovering the BBC would not be broadcasting an extra episode of Match of the Day - despite a staggering 21 goals flying in across three matches.

In a special set of bank holiday fixtures, Leicester were dealt a seismic blow to their hopes of avoiding relegation as they fell three goals behind by the break in a 5-3 defeat at Fulham.

That was before Everton, also fighting for survival, produced one of the most astonishing results of the season by dismantling high-flying Brighton in a 5-1 victory on the south coast.

And to top off an unforgettable day of Premier League football, Nottingham Forest took a huge step towards safety by edging a seven-goal thriller with rock-bottom Southampton.

It proved a mesmerising bank holiday in the top flight, which conjured up eight more goals than the seven other fixtures that came on Saturday and Sunday.

Yet much to their dismay, fans were unable to enjoy highlights of Monday's epic games on Match of the Day after the BBC decided not to broadcast an extra bank holiday episode before it became a goal-fest.

As is often the case on a top-flight weekend, BBC chiefs stuck with their original format of broadcasting their main Match of the Day show on Saturday night, before showing Match of the Day 2 on Sunday night.

Even in the event of a Monday night fixture, MOTD2 is typically screened the evening before.

However, fans could not understand why the BBC chose against moving MOTD2 to Monday given there were still three bank holiday matches in store - while only two games took place on Sunday - taking to Twitter to express their frustrations with the decision.

One wrote: 'Why no MoTD? ..there were 21 goals!! Is it because none of the supposed big hitters played today? Fans of Everton, Leicester, Forest, Fulham, Brighton & Southampton pay their TV licence's (sic) too!'

Another commented: 'Why not just delay MOTD2 by a day and show today's PL games?! 3 games on today and no highlights show is just beyond baffling!'

A third put: 'Basically a massive screw up to not shift the MOTD programmes to take into account 3 games being played on Monday, because of the Coronation and extra Bank Holiday.'

One simply asked: 'But WHY no MOTD?!?!?'

And in response to Match of the Day's official Twitter account asking which game they would show first if they had decided to broadcast the programme, one user quipped: 'You'd probably still put one of the Big Six on first...'

Monday's incredible triple-header may well prove crucial in the Premier League relegation battle, with Forest and Everton both climbing out of the drop zone after their respective victories.

It was the Toffees who inflicted the biggest upset after scoring three goals inside the opening 35 minutes at Brighton, who are battling it out for European qualification.

Dwight McNeill's brace in the final 20 minutes saw them hit the Seagulls for five and move above Leicester into 17th place.

The Foxes, meanwhile, collapsed in remarkable fashion at Fulham, heading in at the break 3-0 behind after a dreadful first-half showing.

While they pulled three goals back themselves after the interval, Marco Silva's side also scored twice to seal a 5-3 victory and pile the pressure on Dean Smith and Co.

As for Forest, they leapfrogged both of their relegation rivals into 16th after getting the better of a gripping seven-goal battle with Southampton, who are still languishing at the bottom of the table.

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