The latest changes to the Premier League fixture list have come under increasing scrutiny, with questions over the fairness of the title race due to the imbalance of the final 10 games.
There are 10 games remaining and Liverpool are only below Arsenal due to goal difference (-seven), while Man City sit just one point behind.
It places incredible pressure on the run-in, which will see City and Arsenal go head-to-head on the resumption of the league this weekend following the international break.
And in the words of The Mirror‘s John Cross, “various clubs” are “questioning the ‘integrity’ of the fixture list” – in the battle for the title and top four – after the recent rescheduling.
Liverpool, for one, will play Everton on the evening of Wednesday, April 24, before then travelling to West Ham for a Saturday 12.30pm kickoff, a 66-hour turnaround.
Incredibly, they can play on the Sunday but it will only be moved to April 28 if Arsenal progress to the Champions League semi-final – broadcasters, as usual, dictating far too much.
Moreover, the fixture changes also mean Tottenham will head into their meeting with Arsenal in April off the back of a staggering 15-day break, due to their City clash being moved for the FA Cup.
That fixture has yet to be rearranged, with City’s trip to Brighton taking place in the days following their cup semi-final against Chelsea instead – which some argue is ‘easier’.
During Spurs’ two-week break, the Gunners will play four times, and with fixtures still subject to change due to progress in Europe, there is a lot of backlash coming the Premier League‘s way.
Some of it cannot be helped due to the number of games needed to be played in a short space of time, but the fixture list will play a huge part in where the title ends up, who gets top four and who is relegated.
With uncertainty still clouding changes to fixtures – clubs and their fans cannot adequately plan ahead – discrepancy for days between games and the inconsistency when rescheduling, the Premier League are finding they have an increasing number of questions to answer.
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