Arteta urges Premier League to reschedule match amid fixture clash

International football

·

04/11/2025

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Mikel Arteta has asked for Arsenal’s Premier League fixture on 21 December to be rearranged after the club’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace was set for two days later.

The request follows criticism from the English Football League (EFL), which said its competition had been “undermined” after being forced to compromise on scheduling due to fixture congestion.

Arsenal are scheduled to visit Everton in the league before hosting Palace at Emirates Stadium on 23 December, while the Eagles travel to Leeds just two days before the cup tie.

The other three quarter-finals will be played in the previous week, but Palace’s commitments in the UEFA Conference League—where they face Finnish side KuPS on 18 December—meant the EFL had limited options for arranging the tie.

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Arteta hopes for fixture change

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League meeting with Slavia Prague, Arteta said he hoped common sense would prevail.

“Hopefully they will move our Premier League game, because playing again two days later is not reasonable,” he said. “Now that we know the cup date, I am sure they will also adjust the league schedule.”

When asked whether the club had already approached the Premier League, the Spaniard replied: “I’ll leave that to the club. We’ve made it clear what makes sense, but the date they’ve chosen is different.”

Fixture overload concerns grow

Crystal Palace face an especially demanding spell with four matches between 14 and 23 December, beginning with a home fixture against Manchester City. Their manager, Oliver Glasner, has already said it would be “irresponsible” to make his side play twice in three days.

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The EFL issued a statement blaming the “expansion of European competitions” for creating an unmanageable calendar. It said it had “shown a willingness to compromise”, but that conflicts were now “entirely unavoidable.”

“To continue making endless concessions only serves to weaken the EFL Cup,” the organization said. “It disrupts the traditional English football schedule and harms the domestic game.”

European expansion adds pressure

UEFA’s restructured calendar now spans ten midweeks instead of six, with the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League each occupying a dedicated week.

This has complicated domestic planning, with the EFL Cup’s third round already needing to be seeded and spread over two weeks to accommodate clubs involved in Europe.

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Arteta said the situation was about “respecting” the physical limits of players and maintaining competitive balance. “I’m sure we’ll act in line with the principles of player welfare, fairness, and equal chances for every club,” he added.

The EFL echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the frustration of managers and players over a congested schedule that prevents adequate preparation and rotation.

The Premier League has attributed the packed European calendar to the limited number of Boxing Day fixtures this year. Only one game—Manchester United versus Newcastle United—will be played on 26 December, ending a long-standing tradition of a full festive program.

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