Arsenal and Crystal Palace have both made requests to the Premier League regarding fixture congestion after the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw caused a headache. The festive season is supposed to be the highlight of the English football calendar, with packed stadiums and Boxing Day drama. But this December, fixture scheduling has been a sticking point for the league authorities as teams complain of a lack of breathing space.
A Christmas crisis brews in English football
The Carabao Cup quarter-finals have been the latest flashpoints. Arsenal against Palace is set to be played on December 23, only two days after crucial Premier League matches. The Gunners are due to face Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium that weekend on Sunday December 21, while Palace are scheduled to travel to Leeds United that same day. Both clubs have urged the league to bring those fixtures forward to ease the physical toll on their squads.
Palace’s December is shaping up to be brutal, with eight fixtures set to be played in just 23 days. A run of four games in nine days starts with Manchester City on December 14 and ends with the quarter-final at Arsenal two days before Christmas. In between, Palace must also face Finnish side KuPS in the Conference League on December 18, leaving them with barely 48 hours to travel, rest, and prepare for the next challenge away at Leeds.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportGlasner & Arteta hit out at fixture congestion
"I can't believe this won't be fixed," said Eagles boss Oliver Glasner on Wednesday. "It would be irresponsible for the players and we have a responsibility for them and we have to look after their welfare, but not just ours at the club. I was really upset when I heard it for the first time yesterday. I couldn't even believe that they were considering this. We are trying the same thing that Arsenal are trying, to move our Leeds game forward to Saturday [December 20], so we don't have two days between these games."
Glasner wants dialogue among all the stakeholders and added: "There are people who work on this, and I would really like it if they talked together. We have international games, the two cups and the Premier League. It would be nice if UEFA, the Premier League and the FA talked together because it's so surprising. Maybe now you can't find a solution, but we need to get it sorted. It would be irresponsible to play on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
"But there is a solution because the week after, on the 21st [of December] we play Leeds and then we play on the 28th. There was a big discussion as to why there are no Boxing Day [matches]. Again, they fixed these games without talking to anyone. It would be nice if they all talked together; this is their job, what they get paid for."
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta, speaking before Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague, didn’t hold back: "Hopefully they will move our Premier League match, because to play two days later doesn't make any sense. So now we decide the date [for the Carabao Cup match] I am sure they will change the Premier League [match] as well."
When pressed, if he had formally requested the change, Arteta said: "I'll leave that to the club. I think we're very clear what was the best thing, the more logical day to play, they bring a different date."
Getty Images SportEFL hits back at UEFA
The English Football League (EFL) has come out swinging, placing the blame squarely on UEFA’s expanded European competitions. In a sharply worded statement, the EFL accused UEFA of stretching the calendar to breaking point.
It read: "In determining the schedule for the quarter-finals, the League recognises the challenge it presents to Arsenal and Crystal Palace in particular, and the frustration and concern that will undoubtedly be felt by their managers and players. These are concerns which are shared by the League. The expansion of European cup competitions and number of exclusive match nights across Europe ahead of the 2024-25 season, implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues, means that such scheduling conflicts – for both the EFL Cup and other competitions – are now entirely unavoidable.
"With those teams competing in Europe already entering the EFL Cup in Round Three and having been forced to implement further draw conditions to avoid scheduling conflicts at that stage of the competition in the past two seasons, we have shown a willingness to compromise. However, to continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup – a competition which delivers vital revenue to EFL Clubs and provides millions of supporters with the opportunity to back their team on the road to Wembley each season. It also challenges the traditional scheduling of the English football calendar and strength of our domestic game, which relies upon teams having the necessary time for preparation and ability to field their strongest lineups, in order to entertain their supporters and progress through the competition."
Only one Boxing Day game this season
This latest fiasco comes just weeks after the Premier League confirmed that only one match would be played on Boxing Day this year. This is a far cry from the usual full round of fixtures that have defined the holiday period for generations of fans. The only match on December 26 will see Manchester United host Newcastle United at Old Trafford at 8pm GMT, while every other team enjoys an unexpected winter pause until the weekend. The decision, once again, has been pinned on the ballooning European calendar. UEFA’s new structure now allocates 10 midweeks to continental competitions, up from six just two years ago. Each of its three tournaments, the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, now enjoys its own dedicated week, leaving domestic organisers scrambling for space.