Arteta wants Arsenal game moved as EFL warns congestion ‘unavoidable’

Following the two-day schedule for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta has demanded that the Premier League match on December 21 be moved.

The English Football League (EFL) criticized the “undermining” of its competition because it had to compromise on the match date due to fixture congestion, and the manager made this request.

On December 23 (20:00 GMT), two days after the respective clubs travel to Everton and Leeds in the Premier League on away days, Arsenal will face Palace in the last eight at Emirates Stadium.

The Eagles host Finnish side KuPS in the Uefa Conference League on December 18 at Selhurst Park in addition to the previous week’s other three quarter-final matches.

Prior to his team’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague, Arteta stated, “Hopefully they will move our Premier League match because playing two days later makes no sense.”

“So we’ve already decided the EFL Cup game date,” I’m confident that they’ll also change the Premier League game.”

When questioned about his intentions to the Premier League, Arteta replied, “I’ll leave that up to the club.” The more logical day to play, they bring a different date, in my opinion, is very clear.

For comment, the Premier League has been contacted.

Between December 14 and December 23, Palace will have a grueling four-game schedule that includes a home game against Manchester City.

The EFL criticized the “expansion of European cup competitions,” which it claimed was “implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues.”

Schedule conflicts are “now completely unavoidable,” according to the EFL, who stated that it had “shown a willingness to compromise.”

The statement read, “To continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup.”

It also challenges the English football team’s traditional schedule and the intensity of our home games.

Instead of the six that Uefa’s European calendar used to, with the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League each having a separate week of exposure, Uefa now has 10 midweeks.

Due to the need for the third round of the EFL Cup to be seeded and played over two weeks to keep Champions League and Europa League clubs apart, it has created a significant logistical problem.

Oliver Glasner, the manager of Palace, stated last week that playing two games in three days would be “irresponsible.”

Arteta argued that the integrity of the competition was as much as “respecting” the squad depth of teams.

The Spaniard continued, “I’m sure we will apply the principles that we need to have equality and the same chances for every club first, then the supporters, then.”

The congested program, which deprived clubs of the “necessary time for preparation” and the ability to “field their strongest line-ups,” caused “frustration and concern” of managers and players.

There being just one game in the English top flight on December 26 due to the increased number of European matches, according to the Premier League’s recent press release.