Crystal Palace Seeks Fixture Adjustment
Manager Oliver Glasner has revealed that Crystal Palace has approached the Premier League to request a rescheduling of their game against Leeds, currently set for December 21. This move is aimed at alleviating the strain of back-to-back matches within a short span.
Palace is gearing up for an intense December, with eight matches lined up as they compete in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup, and the Conference League.
They are scheduled to go up against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on December 23, just two days after their league encounter at Elland Road.
Leeds and Arsenal also intend to shift their respective match against Everton on the same date.
Rescheduling for Player Welfare
Glasner elaborated on their request, stating,
We are trying to mirror what Arsenal are attempting, by moving our Leeds match, which is currently on Sunday 21 December, to Saturday 20 December. This would help us avoid having only two days between these games.
He indicated that there has been no initial response from the Premier League regarding their request, and he hopes they will receive a similar consideration as Arsenal.
Upcoming Matches and Challenges
The other three quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup will take place during the preceding week. Meanwhile, Palace is set to host Finnish team KuPS in the Conference League on December 18.
Uefa’s European qualifications now extend over 10 midweek slots, an increase from just six two seasons ago, offering each of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League distinct weeks for better visibility.
This alteration has resulted in considerable logistical challenges, necessitating that the third round of the EFL Cup is both seeded and spread across two weeks to accommodate teams involved in European competitions.
Glasner emphasized his thoughts on organizational missteps, commenting,
I always discuss the idea that making mistakes is part of development. It appears that the EFL and the Premier League did not foresee these problems before the season began. I am confident they will find a resolution before next season.
He concluded by suggesting that this experience might prompt a more proactive approach to scheduling in the future, rather than simply hoping for the best.