Key Takeaways
- Manchester City face three crucial matches within seven days in mid-May.
- The club is frustrated by delays in rescheduling the Crystal Palace fixture.
- European commitments and cup final appearances have created a severe fixture pile-up.
Pep Guardiola’s side must prepare for an exhausting run of games next month. The squad will contest three vital fixtures across merely seven days. Club officials are reportedly unhappy with how the schedule has materialised.
The congestion centres on two rescheduled Premier League matches. The encounter with Crystal Palace was originally set for March but moved due to the Carabao Cup final. It will now take place on Wednesday, 13 May. Additionally, the trip to Bournemouth has shifted from 17 May to 19 May. This change became necessary after City reached the FA Cup final against Chelsea, which occurs on 16 May.
This sequence creates a demanding week for the defending champions. They will battle Palace in the league, compete for silverware against Chelsea at Wembley, and then travel to the south coast. The team currently sits three points behind Arsenal with one game in hand.
Before this difficult period, City must first navigate Champions League quarter-final ties against Atlético Madrid.
Sources indicate the primary frustration involves the lengthy delay in rearranging the Palace game. The need to move this fixture became apparent on 4 February, following the semi-final victory over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. The club believes officials failed to follow the principle of rescheduling matches at the earliest possible opportunity.
Crystal Palace’s involvement in the Conference League has complicated matters. The London club faced West Ham recently, which eliminated potential midweek slots. Reports suggest City were informed that a different result in their FA Cup quarter-final might have helped. Had City lost to Liverpool, the Palace versus West Ham fixture could have moved forward by 24 hours, freeing up a midweek date.
Club officials believe alternative solutions existed. They argue the Burnley match, which took place recently, could have shifted to a different week instead. However, Palace had no availability in the coming weeks due to their European campaign.
Manchester City proposed moving the Bournemouth fixture to Tuesday, 12 May. This would have allowed the Palace match to follow in the subsequent midweek. However, UEFA requested that 20 May remain clear for the Europa League final. City pointed to precedent, noting Arsenal played Wolves earlier this season despite Champions League matches occurring that same evening.
The club also suggested delaying the Bournemouth game until 21 May. This would have provided extra recovery time after the FA Cup final. Early indications suggested the Premier League viewed this favourably.
Manchester City declined to issue an official statement regarding the matter. The Premier League has been approached for comment.