Mikel Arteta urges Premier League to move Arsenal’s match against Everton
Mikel Arteta has called on the Premier League to move Arsenal’s match against Everton to avoid the Gunners having two games in three days.
The EFL announced on Monday that the Carabao Cup quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace had been moved to December 23, saying fixture pile-ups of this nature were now “entirely unavoidable”.
The Carabao Cup tie was originally due to be played on December 16 but that would have left Palace playing four games in eight days. Now, both teams are set to play two matches in three days, with Palace and Arsenal due to be in league action on December 21.
Arteta has suggested Arsenal will seek to have their match against Everton moved, presumably to December 20.
“Hopefully they will move our Premier League match, because to play two days later doesn’t make any sense,” the Arsenal boss said ahead of his side’s Champions League match against Slavia Prague.
“So now we decide the date (for the Carabao Cup match) I am sure they will change the Premier League (match) as well.”
Asked if he had made a request to the Premier League, Arteta replied: “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.”
“If we continue to do that every three days….we want respecting again. What we discussed previously (on player welfare), that in our opinion it’s the most important part.”
Palace would have faced four matches in eight days if the original date had been held. They host Manchester City in the Premier League on December 14, then would have had to squeeze in a meeting with the Gunners on December 16 before taking on KuPS of Finland in the Conference League on December 18 and then returning to Premier League action against Leeds on December 21.
However, the match has now been confirmed for December 23, with an 8pm kick-off.
Palace coach Oliver Glasner said it would be “irresponsible” to allow the game to go ahead on December 16.
Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard agreed it was frustrating players’ views seemingly were never sought in calendar planning.
“I would say so. Obviously it is up to the people who make the calendar at the start of the year,” he said.
“I think they should know that these kind of things can happen and, with a lot of players already mentioning that there are a lot of games, I think they should.”
The EFL said scheduling conflicts were “entirely unavoidable” as a result of the expansion of European cup competitions and insisted it had shown “a willingness to compromise”.
It added in a statement: “However, to continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup – a competition which delivers vital revenue to EFL clubs and provides millions of supporters with the opportunity to back their team on the road to Wembley each season.”