Premier League Adjusts Schedule for Arsenal and Crystal Palace to Alleviate Fixture Congestion

Arsenal triumphed over Crystal Palace with a narrow 1-0 victory in their previous Premier League encounter in October.

To alleviate fixture congestion, the Premier League has agreed to reschedule matches involving Arsenal and Crystal Palace in December. Arsenal’s away match against Everton and Crystal Palace’s fixture at Leeds, initially set for 14:00 GMT on Sunday, December 21, will now take place at 20:00 on Saturday, December 20.

This adjustment grants both clubs an additional day to prepare for their EFL Cup quarter-final on December 23. The EFL had previously moved the cup match from its original date of December 16, as this would have forced Palace—who are also participating in the Conference League—to play three matches in just five days.

Despite the rescheduling, Palace will still face a challenging schedule with two games in a three-day span, including their Conference League match against Finnish side KuPS on Thursday, December 18. A request from the Selhurst Park club to advance the European tie by a day was declined by UEFA, which deemed the change could compromise the integrity of the competition.

Arsenal has also stated that a proposed EFL Cup match on Christmas Eve was dismissed due to potential implications for fans and club staff. In a supportive gesture, the Gunners announced plans to offer subsidized travel to Merseyside on December 20, with coach fares set at £10.

Both clubs had requested the fixture changes, motivated by a shared interest in ensuring equal recovery time before the EFL Cup tie. While television scheduling also played a role in the decision, the Premier League emphasized that player welfare was paramount in their considerations.

A spokesperson from the Premier League remarked, “Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore granted requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures. This decision reflects our ongoing commitment to providing adequate recovery time amidst a packed domestic calendar, especially in light of the expanded UEFA competitions’ impact on fixture scheduling.”