Premier League rearrange Arsenal fixtures to avoid Christmas pile-up
The Gunners have seen their clash with Everton moved...
Arsenal and Crystal Palace have been granted permission to reschedule their December Premier League fixtures against Everton and Leeds ahead of a busy Christmas period.
The adjustment comes as both clubs prepare to face each other in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on December 23 at the Emirates Stadium.
That match was initially planned for the previous week but had to be moved because Crystal Palace are playing Finnish side KuPS in the Europa Conference League on December 18.
The change to Palace’s European schedule left both clubs facing congested domestic calendars, with Premier League fixtures originally set for just two days before their Carabao Cup tie.
Following an appeal from Arsenal and Palace, the league has now agreed to move their respective matches to 8pm GMT on December 20, instead of 2pm on December 21.
“Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore granted requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures,” the league said in a statement.
“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. The League would like to thank Leeds United and Everton for their co-operation in accommodating these changes.”
Although the new arrangement means Palace will play twice in three days, the club preferred this option to ensure additional preparation time for their Carabao Cup encounter with Mikel Arteta’s side.