Change Arsenal’s Premier League Match Date – Arteta Urges

Mikel Arteta has asked for Arsenal’s Premier League match on 21 December to be moved after their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace was set for just two days later.

The Arsenal manager’s request comes after the English Football League (EFL) criticised the “undermining” of its competition, saying it had to compromise on the match date because of fixture congestion.

Arsenal are scheduled to play Palace in the quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on 23 December (20:00 GMT), only two days after both teams travel for Premier League matches — Arsenal to Everton and Palace to Leeds.

The other three quarter-finals will take place a week earlier, but Palace are playing Finnish club KuPS in the UEFA Conference League on 18 December, making scheduling more difficult.

“Hopefully they will move our Premier League match, because to play two days later doesn’t make any sense,” Arteta said at a news conference before Arsenal’s Champions League match against Slavia Prague.
“So now we decide the date [for the EFL Cup match] I am sure they will change the Premier League [match] as well.”

When asked if he had contacted the Premier League, Arteta added: “I’ll leave that to the club. I think we’re very clear what was the best thing, the more logical day to play, they bring a different date.”

The Premier League has not yet commented.

Palace now face a tough schedule of four games between 14 and 23 December, starting with a home game against Manchester City.

In a statement, the EFL criticised the “expansion of European cup competitions,” saying it was “implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues.” The EFL added that making too many changes “undermines the reputation of the EFL Cup” and disrupts the traditional football calendar.

Arteta said the issue was about “respecting” teams’ squad depth to protect the fairness of the competition.

“I’m sure we will apply the principles of first of all the players, then the supporters, and then the times that we need to have equality and the same chances for every club,” added the Spaniard.

The EFL said it shared the “frustration and concern” of managers and players concerning the congested programme which deprived clubs of the “necessary time for preparation” and ability to “field their strongest line-ups” in the EFL Cup.

The Premier League recently blamed the increased number of European fixtures for there being just one game on 26 December in the English top flight.

Boxing Day fixtures have been a long-standing tradition in English football, but this year the only Premier League game will be Manchester United’s home match with Newcastle United (20:00).