Need to know
The Premier League will only have one fixture taking place this Sunday, with several reasons behind the unusual scheduling set-up for the final weekend before Christmas
Here is everything you need to know why there is only one Premier League match this Sunday…
- Villa vs United: It is highly unusual for a Sunday to feature only one Premier League match, but this weekend’s schedule has been heavily altered to accommodate cup competitions and player welfare. The only game taking place this Sunday is Aston Villa vs. Manchester United (4.30pm).
- Arsenal and Crystal Palace rescheduling: Both clubs successfully requested to move their Premier League matches from Sunday, December 21 to Saturday, December 20 (8pm). This gives them an extra 24 hours of rest before their Carabao Cup quarter-final.
- Carabao Cup quarter-final congestion: Arsenal host Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, December 23 (8pm). This match was delayed because Palace played in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, December 18, making it impossible for them to play a cup game during the normal midweek slot.
- The “60-Hour Rule”: Premier League rules generally prevent teams from playing two matches within 60 hours. If Arsenal and Palace had played their league games on Sunday afternoon, they would not have had the required recovery time before their Tuesday night cup clash.
- European competition impact: The expansion of the UEFA European calendar has caused a busy fixture schedule this December. Crystal Palace’s match against KuPS on December 18 forced their domestic cup game to be pushed back, which in turn forced the Premier League to shift their weekend fixtures forward.
- Broadcaster agreement: Sky Sports and the Premier League agreed to move the Everton vs Arsenal and Leeds vs Crystal Palace matches to a special Saturday 8pm slot. This satisfies TV contracts while allowing the league to prioritise “player welfare” during the busiest part of the season.
- Boxing Day preparation: With the traditional Boxing Day fixtures (Gameweek 18) beginning on Friday, December 26, the league has front-loaded this weekend’s schedule to ensure most teams have a full four-day break before the festive period begins in earnest.
