Mikel Arteta Urges Premier League to Reschedule Arsenal Match to a More Logical Date

Table of Contents

1. Arteta's Request to Premier League
2. Challenges with Fixtures
3. Injuries Impacting the Squad
4. Trossard's Concerns

MIKEL ARTETA is urging Premier League officials to make a favorable adjustment to Arsenal's festive fixture schedule.

The Gunners are facing the prospect of playing twice within three days following their Carabao Cup quarter-final match.

Arteta is requesting the Premier League to reschedule one of Arsenal’s matchesCredit: AFP Viktor Gyokeres is the latest Arsenal player to be sidelined due to injuryCredit: Alamy

Palace’s request to change the date of their game from the original December 16 slot was approved, as they faced a tighter turnaround than Arteta’s squad.

However, this adjustment has left both teams with just over 48 hours to recover from their respective Premier League matches on December 21.

Arsenal is scheduled to play on that Sunday. With the Toffees having exited the cup and the Gunners available the previous midweek, there’s nothing—other than television agreements—preventing the match from being moved up.

Arteta stated: “Hopefully, they will reschedule the Premier League match [against Everton] because playing it on this date makes no sense.

“We will now determine the date. I’m confident they will adjust the Premier League schedule as well. I’ll leave that to the club.

“I believe we clearly understand what the best and most logical date to play is. They proposed an alternate date, so I’m sure we will need to adapt to that.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m certain we will prioritize the players, then the supporters, and ensure that all clubs have equal opportunities. So, hopefully, it will be fair.”

Arsenal is competing on multiple fronts this season, and their squad is already feeling the pressure.

Viktor Gyokeres has recently joined the treatment room, alongside Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Martin Zubimendi.

Leandro Trossard is receiving increased playing time as a result, but he remains apprehensive about the demanding schedule ahead.

He remarked: “Obviously, it’s not ideal. We already have a challenging schedule with numerous matches, and playing two games in three days complicates recovery and, naturally, it’s not easy for the fans to travel consistently.

“At this point, we just have to manage it, I suppose, and that’s what we’ll do now.

“Ultimately, it’s up to those who create the calendar at the beginning of the year. They should recognize that these situations can arise, and with many players already commenting on the busy schedule, I believe they should be aware.”