The Premier League has rescheduled Arsenal and Crystal Palace’s league games ahead of their League Cup quarter-final clash on December 23rd.

The Premier League has announced changes to the schedule of Arsenal and Crystal Palace’s league games to avoid fixture congestion and prioritise player welfare. 

The changes come ahead of the two teams’ League Cup quarter-final clash on December 23rd.

Arsenal, currently league leaders, and Crystal Palace had been facing a busy schedule, with European commitments and the League Cup tie adding to their fixture list. The Premier League has moved the Everton vs Arsenal and Leeds United vs Palace fixtures from December 21st to December 20th.

The decision was made to give both teams breathing room before their cup meeting and to prioritize player welfare. The Premier League stated that player welfare is a top priority, and they have granted requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures.

The English Football League had previously expressed concerns about fixture congestion affecting the League Cup. The expanded European cup competitions have added to the scheduling challenges, and the Premier League has acknowledged the impact on the domestic fixture calendar.

Arsenal had argued that playing two games within 48 hours would contravene FIFA’s recommendations, which advocate for a minimum of 72 hours’ rest between games. The club had rejected the chance to play the quarter-final on Christmas Eve, citing concerns about affecting their fans and workforce.

The Metropolitan Police and Transport for London had also ruled out the Christmas Eve option, citing limited public transport services. The Premier League has thanked Leeds United and Everton for their cooperation in accommodating the changes.

Arsenal’s fixtures:

December 20th: Everton (away) – Premier League

December 23rd: Crystal Palace (home) – League Cup

December 27th: Brighton & Hove Albion (home) – Premier League

December 30th: Aston Villa (home) – Premier League

Crystal Palace fixtures:

December 20th: Leeds United (away) – Premier League

December 23rd: Arsenal (away) – League Cup

December 28th: Tottenham Hotspur (home) – Premier League

January 1st: Fulham (home) – Premier League