With the Premier League title race entering a crunch stage, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been handed a slight boost in their bid to close down runaway leaders Liverpool
The Premier League have rejected a plea to reschedule the forthcoming Merseyside derby after both Liverpool and Everton were keen on finding an alternative date for the clash. Everton are due to visit Anfield on Wednesday, April 2, with a subsequent home game against Arsenal scheduled for less than 72 hours later in the Saturday lunchtime slot.
Both Merseyside outfits had considered the possibility of bringing their derby forward by 24 hours, which, if approved, would have afforded David Moyes‘ squad additional recovery time before their weekend match against the title-chasing Gunners.
It would have also been beneficial for Arne Slot’s side, as they also travel to Craven Cottage to face Marco Silva’s Fulham side on Sunday, April 6. Considering Arsenal will be facing a more fatigued Everton side while Liverpool travel to Fulham with a day’s less rest than hoped, the Gunners – who host Fulham on Tuesday, April 1 – are certainly the winners in this situation.
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According to the Daily Mail, both Everton and Liverpool saw benefits in moving their game to April 1, but the Premier League declined the request. It’s unknown as to how much notice both clubs gave before making the enquiry.
The Premier League disclosed its April TV fixture changes back on February 28, featuring the Merseyside derby on Sky Sports, while TNT Sports will broadcast Everton’s encounter with Arsenal.
Liverpool approach the next set of games with a comfortable 12-point lead at the summit and only nine matches left. However, they entered the international break on the back of consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Following Paris Saint-Germain’s ousting of Arne Slot’s Reds from the Champions League, Newcastle inflicted a 2-1 defeat on them in the Carabao Cup final.
Slot, though, played down any suggestions that a potential crisis may be looming after the League Cup final loss. He said: “It’s part of football if you face strong teams that you can lose as well.
“Ideally you go through the whole season only winning, winning, winning. But it can happen that after eight months of football you lose twice in a row if you face Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle.”
When asked if that week could prove to be damaging, a determined Slot replied: “Like I said from the start, it took us seven, eight [or] nine months to lose twice in a row and that happens against two teams. One of them is fighting for Champions League, Newcastle is a very good team [and] we knew this already at St. James’ Park, and the other one is Paris Saint-Germain.
“Probably if you can beat us in that style of play you are probably the best in Europe at the moment. They still have to show if they still can do this in the upcoming two or three months.
“But I want to make clear one more time that the week started off really well by us beating Southampton. That’s why we extended our lead to 12 points [in the Premier League] with nine games to go.
“You know if you go far in tournaments that the opposition you face gets stronger and stronger. Even Liverpool can lose football games, that’s what can happen.”
