Manchester City have been handed a choatic fixture schedule that also negatively impacts Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League title race
The Premier League have been handed something they’ve never had before. A three-horse title race between the European champions, a Liverpool side with an outgoing legend in charge, and a success-starved Arsenal desperate for the trophy.
So why are they trying to sabotage their own competition? With the latest round of broadcast picks, both Manchester City and Arsenal have been handed a farcical schedule that means they won’t know if they’re playing on one day or another until a week before when their Champions League quarter-finals are decided. Liverpool’s progress in the Europa League means they will also be affected, with their Merseyside derby subject to moving dates depending on whether City or Arsenal need their fixtures moving.
On the face of it, it seems like no team has any particular advantage from the questionable decisions from the Premier League and broadcasters – only varying degrees of disadvantage. But should that be the case for three brilliant teams going head-to-head? Should the authorities not be doing everything they can to ensure a level playing field so the best team comes out on top rather than the side with the least-worst schedule?
The FA are also at fault, scheduling City’s FA Cup semi-final for Saturday April 20, three days after their Champions League quarter-final second leg, rather than the Sunday. In the other semi-final, Coventry face 48 hours between their biggest cup game in years against Manchester United and a crucial Championship fixture with play-off rivals Hull. Common sense would seemingly have made the semi-final schedule obvious, but that would have been too easy.
Not only does it disrupt City’s plans, it also severely impacts fans who can’t plan for crucial away games because they won’t know when the fixture will be played until the week before. City will want a loud following at Brighton, for example, but it’s hard to ask fans to commit to hundreds of pounds in tickets and travel when they don’t know if they need to take the Tuesday or Wednesday off work.
When MEN Sport reported the fixture chaos on Saturday, debate raged in the comments and fans were quick to suggest the authorities were working against them. But some pointed out the Blues must simply play the hand they have been dealt and win the title to send the most emphatic point over the scheduling.
29&counting said: “Clearly the FA & Premier league like the PGMOL are playing King makers of who wins what.”
bluemanc added: “Couldn’t run a bath. Fairness for who? Let’s just think about that! This is strikingly obvious who benefits the most. Feel for Coventry and our progression in the Champions League will help fifth spot coeffiency rubbish so may well backfire on em.”
What do you think about the fixture schedule? Have your say in the comments here.
And Manxblue said: “You actually feel for Coventry, massive game for them, and FA Cup semi-final and because these clowns don’t think, Coventry may not be able to field their strongest line up due to them having a massive game 48 hours later. This is a simple example that someone with no football knowledge could have arranged to accommodate all four teams, but oh no, not football’s governing bodies. Pathetic. Good to have a league that supports their clubs in Europe. And before any other fan pipes up, I’m saying in general as I know it’s not just us that’s been impacted many times.”
