The Gunners have seen their clash with Everton moved…
Arsenal and Crystal Palace have been granted permission to reschedule their December Premier League matches against Everton and Leeds ahead of a busy Christmas period.
The adjustment comes as the two clubs prepare to clash in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on December 23 at the Emirates Stadium.
This match was originally scheduled for the previous week but had to be moved as Crystal Palace will face Finnish side KuPS in the Europa Conference League on December 18.
The change to Palace’s European schedule has left both clubs facing congested domestic schedules, with Premier League matches initially scheduled for just two days before their Carabao Cup match.
Following an appeal from Arsenal and Palace, the league has now agreed to move their respective matches to 8pm GMT on December 20, instead of 2pm on December 21.
“Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore acceded to requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective matches,” the league said in a statement.
“This comes after matches from other competitions were scheduled around Premier League matches without adequate player recovery time.
“It is also further evidence of the impact of the expanded UEFA competitions on the domestic fixture list. The League would like to thank Leeds United and Everton for their cooperation in implementing these changes.”
Although the new arrangement means Palace will play twice in three days, the club preferred this option to ensure extra preparation time for their Carabao Cup encounter with Mikel Arteta’s side.
