Fergie gets his way as Setanta scrooges are told to forget plan to make United play at 8pm on Christmas Eve

Manchester United have rejected a bizarre approach from Setanta to play Everton at 8pm on Christmas Eve. In a bold attempt to win a major share of the festive TV audience, Setanta proposed to have the Old Trafford game, originally scheduled for 3pm on December 22, moved to a prime slot on December 24.

But backed up by police advice, United dismissed the proposal out of hand as "a logistical nightmare".

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As TV companies battle to get the most for their £1.7billion funding of the domestic game, United's stance will be seen as a victory for the fans.

This summer, Setanta broke Sky Sports' monopoly on Premier League football in the UK, bidding £392m for the rights to show 46 matches each season.

But there is a belief that Sky have managed to hold on to the higher profile games and Setanta would have seen United v Everton on Christmas Eve as a major coup.

But a Greater Manchester Police source said: "It was a nightmare idea and was quickly dismissed.

"Logistically, it would have caused all kinds of chaos with people coming over from Merseyside adding to the normal Christmas congestion.

"With the rivalry between the two cities and the clubs it was a recipe for disaster."

The match is now scheduled for noon on Sunday December 23.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has already voiced his concerns over TV games. He said: "Sky and Setanta are always going to pick the successful teams for the prime-time games.

"You can't blame them for that given the amount of money they have put it.

"Money is important to every club now, so they do a deal. But once you shake hands with the devil, you have to accept they are in control."

Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson said: "Ideally, we would like every game to be at 3pm.

"Our commitment to the TV agreement means that isn't possible, but we always try to strike a balance for the sake of football fans."