The Premier League has decided to reschedule games involving Arsenal and Crystal Palace in December, aiming to alleviate fixture congestion. This move is expected to give the teams an extra day of preparation for their EFL Cup quarter-final on 23 December.
Arsenal's journey to Everton and Palace's match at Leeds, initially slated for 14:00 GMT on Sunday, 21 December, will now take place at 20:00 on Saturday, 20 December. The shift in schedule comes as a relief for both teams who are grappling with a packed fixture list.
The EFL Cup game was originally set for 16 December but was moved due to concerns over fixture congestion. Particularly affected would have been Crystal Palace who are also competing in the Conference League in Europe. The original date would have meant that they had three games within five days.
Despite this adjustment, they still face two matches within three days - their Conference League fixture against Finnish side KuPS is scheduled for Thursday, 18 December.
UEFA rejects request from Selhurst Park Club
Crystal Palace had requested UEFA permission to play their European tie a day earlier but were denied. It is understood that UEFA rejected the request based on maintaining competition integrity.
Arsenal revealed that playing the EFL Cup tie on Christmas Eve was dismissed due to potential impacts on fans and club staff during the festive period. To ease travel difficulties associated with rescheduling, Arsenal will offer additional coaches at a subsidised price of £10 for fans travelling to Merseyside on 20th December.
Premier League released statement:
"Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore granted requests from Arenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures. This comes after the scheduling of matches from other competitions around Premier League fixtures without adequate player recovery time. This is also further evidence of the impact the expanded Uefa competitions have on the domestic fixture calendar."
Factors influencing decision
Both clubs requested moving forward with two Premier League matches which led to this decision being made by authorities. It is believed that equal recovery time before the EFL Cup tie for both teams and television scheduling were key considerations.
However, the 20:00 kick-off could pose logistical challenges for travelling supporters. Despite this, the Premier League maintains that player well-being was at the forefront of their decision-making process.
While rescheduling may pose some difficulties for fans, it is a necessary step to ensure fair play and player welfare during a congested fixture period. This move demonstrates how football authorities are adapting to manage multiple competitions while prioritising player health and recovery time.
