Manchester City have asked Premier League bosses for help with their fixture pile-up as they attempt to avoid a nightmare schedule in the final weeks of the season. Pep Guardiola's side face three games in seven days ahead of the last weekend, but the request has sparked backlash from other clubs who oppose any special favours for the Treble-chasing team.
Fixture Chaos Looms for City
City secured their place in the FA Cup final, scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at Wembley. This has forced the rescheduling of their away game at Bournemouth, originally set for May 17, as well as a home match against Crystal Palace. The Premier League typically prioritises the first game in the calendar to maintain fixture integrity, but City are believed to have asked for the games to be 'flipped' to gain an extra recovery day before the cup final.
Palace are due to play Everton on Sunday, May 10 due to their Europa Conference League commitments, meaning their trip to the Etihad can only take place on Wednesday, May 13. This gives City one less day to prepare for Wembley. Meanwhile, the Bournemouth match is slated for Tuesday, May 19, because the Europa League final is on May 20, and UEFA dislikes domestic clashes with European dates.
Exhausting Schedule for Title Decider
This leaves City facing a gruelling run: the FA Cup final on May 16, followed by a tough trip to Bournemouth just three days later. These two games could determine whether they secure the Treble. The situation is also tough on City fans, who were unable to sell their full allocation for the FA Cup semi-final due to high costs.
The Premier League has yet to confirm the fixtures but must consider the wishes of Palace and Bournemouth supporters. Bournemouth had planned for May 19 to be Andoni Iraola's final home game. Clubs have voiced concerns about last-minute fixture changes inconveniencing fans and breaking with tradition.
Arsenal, City's title rivals, may be pleased to see City face a potentially difficult trip to Bournemouth on the Tuesday. The TV schedule remains unconfirmed, but Arsenal's final home game against Burnley could be moved to Monday, May 18, while Tottenham's crucial visit to Chelsea is also pending.
