Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hit out at the Premier League fixture schedule as Arsenal face Aston Villa just days after their defeat against Manchester City. The Gunners have taken just a single point from their last three fixtures and have slipped down into second place as the title race heats up.
Premier League teams held a meeting in 2021 to stop teams participating in the UEFA Champions League from playing on Wednesday evening ahead of a Saturday lunchtime fixture. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has bemoaned the fixture schedule since his arrival at Anfield, accusing the Premier League and TV companies last year of throwing “a stick between the legs” during the Reds' quadruple chase claiming that no other league would impose such a schedule.
Arteta has also taken aim at the Premier League before regarding the fixture list after the Gunners tasted defeat against Liverpool in a mid-week match before ironically facing Villa on Saturday in a 12:30PM kick-off, as they will this week. Injuries have been a constant problem for Arsenal this season with Emile Smith Rowe, Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus all having faced lengthy lay-offs, whilst Thomas Partey has become the latest absentee from Arteta's squad.
READ MORE: Arsenal press conference LIVE: Mikel Arteta on Thomas Partey's fitness, City loss and Jesus
Speaking after the defeat against Klopp's side last term, Arteta sarcastically thanked the Premier League for his side's busy fixture schedule. The Arsenal boss said: “Thank you so much to the Premier League to do that.
“And they’ve done it again when we have to play Chelsea and Manchester United. So if they want to give them any advantage, I say to them today: ‘Thank you so much for doing that’.
“Don’t worry the players on Saturday they will be there, with energy. They will eat, sleep well, but thank you so much to the Premier League for putting the fixtures like this. Very, very helpful.”
When asked if Arsenal made a case to the Premier League about the fixtures, Arteta said: “Yes, absolutely, because it is not fair. It is not fair what they have done.
“It is always it’s BT, it’s Sky, it is this, it’s that. But the one that is affected is Arsenal and the only thing that I care [about] and we care [about] is Arsenal. And for Arsenal it is not fair.”
Now the Spaniard has taken aim at the Premier League once again as his team prepares to face Villa on Saturday in the early kick-off. When asked if he was annoyed about having to play on Wednesday and Saturday this week, Arteta responded: "It is what it is.
"We play tomorrow, we will have full energy. It’s not [about] being worried or not worried.
"We have to play. I want the players to be in the best possible mindset and physically ready to get that challenge going.
"I think they are young. They have a lot of energy."
Arteta then referred to the rules that teams playing in the Champions League who play on a Wednesday night are exempt from playing at lunchtime on Saturday due to the tight turnaround in preparations for the match. The Arsenal boss added: "Well, there are certain rules with the Champions League.
"When you are playing on Wednesday night and then you cannot play [on Saturday lunchtime]. So I think that should apply to any competition.
"I think that is why one of the changes was made towards the Champions League teams, especially. But I think following the same principle, I think you are talking physiologically, that is very difficult to turnaround on that period to get the best outcome and reduce the injury risk for players, but that’s it.
"We knew we were going to play at that time. That’s not an excuse."
The Gunners are hoping to get back to winning ways with a win against Villa. Arsenal do have a game in hand still on City which will be played against Everton at the Emirates Stadium later this season.
READ NEXT:
Mikel Arteta gives Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus update for Villa vs Arsenal
Paul Merson and Chris Sutton agree on 'huge' Aston Villa vs Arsenal score prediction
Stan Kroenke sent clear transfer instruction as Man City exploit Arsenal's main weakness
Arsenal's next five fixtures compared to Manchester City, Man Utd, Newcastle and Tottenham
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
